When someone decides to divorce in Florida, they have many options available to them. For example, they may have already signed a marital agreement with their spouse explaining how they should divide their property. They might also be able to negotiate an agreement regarding property division and other family matters, like time-sharing arrangements for minor children.
Other times, couples go to family court to litigate a contested divorce because they strongly disagree about what terms are appropriate. Particularly in scenarios where people divorce because of marital misconduct, it may prove very challenging to amicably resolve disputes about the divorce. However, mediation could be a powerful tool for those divorcing under contentious circumstances, if the parties involved want to avoid having a judge decide their fate.
Divorce mediation allows for confidential discussion
A variety of marital behaviors could have a major impact on the outcome of divorce proceedings. Wasteful financial behavior, drug addiction, abuse and infidelity are among the types of marital misconduct that people may want to consider when negotiating a divorce settlement.
If they take the matter to court, then the information that they share about their marital circumstances could become part of the public record. Not only could people who come to court to support them hear embarrassing details about their marriage, but anyone they know might eventually try to access court records about their divorce.
People often feel like they need to hold back the truth when discussing financial issues or parenting matters in divorces out of concern for the long-term damage that public discussions of misconduct could trigger. Spouses can openly discuss their concerns about finances and parental abilities in mediation because those discussions are confidential.
Spouses can earnestly discuss their concerns in a private setting and potentially work out a settlement that is actually appropriate given their marital circumstances. If the mediation process leads to a signed agreement between the spouses, they can move forward with an uncontested Florida divorce. Not only do they have control over the terms and enhanced privacy protections, but they can also minimize the amount of time and expense involved in obtaining their divorce.
Ultimately, exploring divorce mediation as an alternative to litigation may benefit those preparing for divorce who are unsure of how to reach reasonable terms.
