I considered mediation

I considered mediation because it was a less intrusive, less confrontational way to get divorced when both parties wanted a divorce and wanted it done in the most civil, efficient way possible. Litigation seemed so “big” and nasty to me. I have found that mediation allows both parties to speak about their wants and needs with the divorce without the harsh formality that litigated divorce seems to have. You can actually deal with your husband or wife, with a third party there to help, instead of the long, impersonal process of lawyers dealing with each other on your behalf. You feel like you are an empowered part of your divorce and it is significantly more cost effective than litigation. While the mediation process took longer than I thought it would, I don’t think the length of time was negative – we were able to draft a divorce agreement that was incredibly unique to our situation and spoke exactly what we wanted about our future apart and our future with our children. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect or what to even want out of a divorce agreement until we started the process. It is not without bumps and snags, but as I can’t imagine having to have lawyers and court dates and all the fuss and bother around litigation, I think it was the best choice for my situation and I would recommend mediation to others considering divorce.
– Katherine Grandey