Colorado Domestic Courts mandate that a couple facing divorce must first attempt to resolve their disputes in mediation, before the Court will hear the case.
As a couple your first step is to determine the issues of contention and then enter into mediation, before seeking legal counsel or starting the court process.
What is a Mediator?
The mediator is a neutral third party in the process, helping the individual parties facilitate an agreement they can take to their respective attorneys for review and counsel.
What is the Process?
Lawyers review the reasonableness of the agreement you and your partner drafted with the mediator. By placing the lawyer in a position of advising as the mediator instead of negotiating or legally posturing a “position,” a couple may save thousands of dollars in legal fees.
Benefits of Mediation or a Mediator
- In general, mediators charge less than what a lawyer would charge for court proceedings.
- Mediators can better identify actual disagreements and help keep other attorneys from filing litigious motions and pursuing issues of discovery that may not be necessary.
- Mediation helps couples move forward with the process and helps create some closure in their relationship.
- Mediation also provides an opportunity for more creative resolutions to fit the needs of individual families.
- Hiring a mediator can help lessen the stress of the process, and this is a major factor for most people.
When choosing a family law attorney it is important to find someone who is familiar with the Courts in your jurisdiction and who has knowledge of the law as it pertains to your case.
If you have a case with significant financial issues, you may want to find a financial advisor to discuss matters with, so both parties are educated as to the issues and are better able to negotiate a fair and equitable division of assets and debts.
Lastly, never sign any documents that may be binding before talking to an attorney.
If you have any questions about Mediation please call 720-722-0776 or EMAIL US
