Child Custody And Mediation: An Alternative Approach To Divorce And Settlement
Tournour Law offers mediation services to clients in New Jersey who are navigating divorce. With an office in New Brunswick, our attorney, Frank Tournour, has been helping clients with family law matters, including the negotiation of divorce and child custody settlements, for over 30 years.
A Collaborative Method To Reaching Custody Agreements
Child custody mediation allows both parents to work towards and reach an agreement regarding child custody, without having to go to court. Attorney Tournour serves as a a neutral mediator, helping both parties work toward mutually accepted terms of physical and legal custody as well as helping them establish visitation and parenting-time schedules.
Rather than each parents each hiring their own attorney to pursuing a custody agreement through numerous court proceedings, mediation involves both parties working out of court with a single attorney serving as a mediator. The parties can choose to meet with the mediator in one room at the same time, or they can meet with the mediator individually.
Reaching custody agreements is almost never simple. However, it does not have to become a legal battle.
Based on the input of both parties, the attorney will draft a custody agreement. Once both parties approve the content of the agreement, it is submitted to a judge for approval.
Why Choose Mediation For Custody Issues?
If you and your child’s other parent are getting separated or attempting to reach a settlement in a divorce, mediation can provide:
- A faster resolution: Court hearings require both parties to await an initial court date, and all subsequent proceedings must fit within the court’s busy schedule. Due to these circumstances, an agreement reached through court hearings could take months or years. Mediation, on the other hand, can be conveniently scheduled according to the availability of both parties and the mediator, and it is often completed in a matter of days or weeks.
- Fewer legal expenses: Instead of both parties needing to hire attorneys, they can share the cost of hiring a mediator.
- A better precedent for the years to come: There is an adversarial element to court proceedings. Mediation, on the other hand, is driven by cooperation. If you and your child’s other parent are able to reach an agreement through mediation, it could set a more amicable tone for co-parenting in the years that follow.
Mediation does not work for everyone and is not the best option in every instance. But if both parties are willing to work together to reach an agreement that is in the child’s best interest, mediating the child custody terms of a divorce decree can be extremely beneficial to all parties involved.
Reaching custody agreements is almost never simple. However, it does not have to become a legal battle. With the help of a mediator, you and your child’s other parent could potentially reach an agreement without having to engage in a lengthier, more expensive process.
Call Today To Speak With An Attorney
If you would like to learn more about how a mediator can help you achieve a custody agreement, call our East Brunswick office at 732-913-3634. You can also submit an inquiry online to schedule a consultation and to learn more about whether mediation is the right approach for your family.