Have you ever gone in the middle of a public place and started screaming out all your most private and personal relationship details? Financial information? Yelled about your kids’ personal information? Probably not. But that is precisely what you do when you go into family court to litigate your divorce. A lot of clients are surprised that there are so many people in the room unrelated to the case. It is a packed room full of people from the community. This is exactly why divorce mediation in California is a logical (and emotionally-sound) choice for most couples.
Privacy is Key
No one wants to air out their dirty laundry for all to see. Your marriage, your kids, your bank accounts deserve to be private. Do you want your neighbor to be able to know how much you make? How much debt you have? No! It is simply none of anyone’s business other than your family’s. In mediation, everything said and done in the session is confidential. You cannot even bring things done in mediation into court if, for some reason, your case ends up in front of a judge later on. You can also file a confidential marriage settlement agreement so that none of your personal information is accessible.
A Safe Space to Be Vulnerable
Divorce is hard. Period. The last thing you want is to be put in front of 50 people during one of the most challenging times of your life and feel like you can’t be open and honest. In a mediation room, it is just you, your spouse, and the mediator. If you would like anyone else in the room, that is to be agreed upon by both of you. Sometimes people will bring an attorney or financial professional to help them through complex areas of their specific situation. However, that is the exception. Typically, there are just three people (you included), and you can feel free to talk openly. In fact, it is encouraged. This is your time to make decisions that feel right for your family.
Affordability & Cost
Did you know that the average divorce in California can cost upwards of $30,000 per person? That means for a vanilla, run-of-the-mill divorce; you are looking at $60,000 total, at least. Divorce mediation in California is often 1/8th of the cost of a litigated dissolution. Mediators, like West Coast Family Mediation, offer flat-fee options. This gives you the peace of mind that you know exactly how much you will spend on your divorce. More money in your pocket, more money for your kids, more money for moving forward.
As you can see, divorce mediation in California is a much better choice all around. If you have questions about your case, contact West Coast Family Mediation.