Family Matters

Preparing for Mediation in Family Law Matters

As a family law mediator, my clients will often ask me how they should prepare for mediation.  Here are some of the things you can do to make the process more effective and efficient which will result in time and costs savings:

1. Have an open discussion with your spouse before committing to mediation about what you are both hoping mediation will accomplish. This may include things like the division of assets, the sale of certain properties, figuring out a custody schedule, or determining the amount of child or spousal support.
2. Gather information about your assets and debt. If both parties take the time to gather information about their joint and individual assets prior to mediation, it will give your mediator a great starting point for discussion about asset division. I often provide my clients with a document that outlines what information is helpful and allows them to fill in the relevant information.
3. Speak with your mediator about expectations for the mediation process. For example, it is helpful to know how frequently the mediator likes to meet with clients, how long those sessions will be, what is expected to be discussed at each session, and what “homework” needs to be completed between sessions.
4. If there are issues related to custody, it’s helpful to have an idea of what you think is going to be the best custody schedule for your family. Every family has different needs and obligations which will need to be considered as part of any custody schedule.  Even if parties know they want to equally share custody there are numerous custody schedules that could be implemented.
5. When child support or spousal support is going to be a factor, both parties should come prepared with information regarding their income such as recent paystubs, tax returns, and W2 or K-1 forms. It is also helpful to have information about health insurance costs and any costs related to childcare or extracurricular activity expenses.  Support obligations in Pennsylvania are primarily income driven so this information will be relevant.

Family law mediation can be a very cost-effective way to resolve custody, support, and divorce matters for families.  If you are interested in pursuing mediation, please contact a member of our family law mediation team.

The information contained in this publication should not be construed as legal advice, is not a substitute for legal counsel, and should not be relied on as such. For legal advice or answers to specific questions, please contact one of our attorneys.