Divorcing couples in Utah typically have a lot to negotiate and resolve. Only those who get married with a prenuptial agreement already in place know exactly what will happen in their divorce before they file. Everyone else will have to either reach a settlement with their spouse or prepare for divorce litigation.
When you can’t agree on how to share parenting time or divide your bank account fairly with your ex, it may feel like divorce litigation is truly inevitable for the two of you. However, many couples are still able to secure an amicable divorce despite initially disagreeing on all of the major terms.
Mediation can help you reach a reasonable solution
Divorce mediation may seem like a waste of time and money. After all, if you currently don’t agree on who should keep the house or how you divide the holidays with your children, why would sitting down with a professional and your attorneys make any major difference?
However, mediation is frequently successful for couples preparing to divorce. Instead of employing an adversarial approach where you fight against each other, you will have to start cooperating. That change in perspective can make a major difference. It is also impossible to overstate the benefit of having a neutral third party there helping the two of you to reach a compromise that you can both agree is fair.
The benefits of mediation don’t end there. You will have control over the terms that you set and whether or not you sign the mediation agreement at the end of the process. Finally, the discussions you have in mediation will be confidential, as opposed to being part of the court record.
How do you prepare for mediation?
If you want to attempt mediation with your ex but don’t know how to approach the process, your lawyer can likely help. As with litigated divorces, you will need to create an inventory of your assets and review the inventory provided by your ex.
You will also want to discuss your goals and preferences with your attorney so that they can help you strategize and keep your focus on the big picture during the mediation session. Finally, you may want to consider getting mental health or psychological support so that you can work through your emotions before you try to sit down and work out a compromise with your ex.
Utilizing the right approach to your upcoming Utah divorce, possibly including mediation sessions, will reduce the stress and family disruption the end of your marriage causes.