How to Convince Your Ex to Try a Mediated Divorce

Mediation offers numerous advantages for divorcing spouses in Georgia, but sometimes it can be tricky to convince your ex of these benefits. Due to the turbulent emotions associated with the average divorce, spouses often struggle to spend more than five minutes together in the same room. If you believe that mediation is the right choice, facilitating this process can be a major challenge. Fortunately, there are a number of strategies you can try to persuade your ex to try mediation.

Highlight the Benefits of Mediation 

An obvious strategy is to simply highlight the various benefits of mediation. These benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Faster outcomes;
• Cheaper outcomes;
• More private outcomes; and
• Mediation helps make the process less stressful.

Why is mediation cheaper and easier than litigation? It essentially comes down to the complexity and time-consuming nature of a divorce trial. The longer your case continues, the more expensive it becomes. Mediation is less formal and requires far less people to be present, including judges, clerks, and so on. If fewer people need to be present, the spouses take on a lower financial burden. After all, these people all need to receive payment for their presence.

 Stress the Impartial Nature of Mediators 

Another option might be to stress the impartial nature of mediators. Tell your ex that mediators are specifically trained not to favor one spouse over the other. Instead, mediators strive to serve everyone’s best interests and approach the entire process without any bias. This means that, at least in theory, mediation should always be fair – regardless of the circumstances.

 Being in the Same Room is Not Always Necessary 

If you and your ex cannot stand each other’s presence, it may be possible to move forward with a mediation without having direct contact with each other. Speak with a qualified divorce attorney in Georgia for more information about these possibilities.

 Point Out the Benefits for Your Children 

Finally, you might want to point out the potential benefits for your children. With high emotions and attachments, it often helps to use mediation and other trained professionals to uphold the child’s best interests. Mediation allows the parents the opportunity to craft a plan that fits the particular needs of their children. In contrast, going to trial involves a judge making custody decisions after briefly reviewing the case.

Where Can I Find a Qualified, Experienced Divorce Attorney in Georgia? 

If you’ve been searching for a qualified, experienced Atlanta divorce attorney, look no further than Kaye, Lembeck, Hitt & French. We have considerable experience with divorce mediation, and we can help guide spouses to positive outcomes without the need for expensive, time-consuming, and stressful litigation. Whether your ex is ready to begin this process or you’re still trying to convince them, it’s worth booking a consultation with us to discuss your next steps. Reach out today.

Sources: 

womenslaw.org/laws/ga/statutes/19-9-3-custody-child-best-interest-child-factors-finds-fact-review-retention

dca.ga.gov/local-government-assistance/planning/intergovernmental-coordination/alternative-dispute-resolution#:~:text=Mediation%20is%20the%20intervention%20into,for%20them%20in%20some%20cases