Divorce requires that you go through the family court, but you don’t have to litigate. The courts must review the terms for property division, child custody and support, and no divorce is official or legal until the Connecticut family courts finalize it.
It is common for couples to litigate when they can’t settle things on their own, but couples can come to the family court after having already resolved all of their big disputes with each other. Mediation is often a tool employed by those hoping to avoid litigated divorce proceedings. What are some of the reasons that people decide they would rather mediate their disagreement with their ex than go to court?
They want to protect their privacy
Perhaps there have been major issues in your family, like addiction or domestic violence, that you believe should have an impact on how the courts rule. If you litigate, you will have to present evidence of that misconduct and endure your spouse presenting whatever evidence they think validates their claims or defends them against your allegations.
When you go through mediation, what you say behind closed doors will remain confidential. You can therefore talk about major issues that you may not want to have become part of the permanent court records from your divorce.
They want to keep things civil for the children
Divorce will mean major disruptions for the children in the family. Everything from where they live to their daily schedule will change because their parents divorce. The more conflict between parents that the children witness and the more pressure that parents put on them to take a side in the divorce, the harder the process will be on the kids.
If you resolve all of your conflicts and mediation, your children won’t have to testify about custody matters or witness the two of you fighting constantly.
They would like to keep their costs low
When you file for divorce, you already know you have to split your property with your ex, and it can take years to rebuild after a divorce. The more time you spend in court fighting about property matters and custody issues, the more the divorce will cost.
If you and your ex are able to reach an agreement during mediation, you can keep the overall price tag for your divorce a bit lower while simultaneously retaining control over the major decisions for your family. Learning more about divorce mediation can help you determine if this tool would be a good solution for your family.