Tennessee residents seeking a productive and amicable way to divorce may find mediation to be the best solution. As the Huffington Post explains, mediation is a process separate from the judicial system, where a single, impartial third party attempts to resolve the matter between two or more contesting parties. Unlike a judge, a mediator cannot impose a solution. It’s up to the parties to mutually agree on how to end their dispute. However, a mediator may help guide the parties toward a productive solution.
According to the Tennessee State Courts website, there are several benefits to taking a divorce case before a mediation process. By going through mediation, the disputing parties are encouraged to reach problem resolution through cooperation and better communication. If successful, the result is a more amicable resolution for all involved. Mediation also allows the parties to retain greater control over the resolution. By contrast, a jury or a judge is free to impose a solution without one or both of the parties having a say, and a solution may disproportionately benefit one side over the other. Mediation, however, allows for both sides to benefit.
Further benefits of a divorce mediation can include the following:
- The cost of mediation is much less than if you took it trial
- Information disclosed during mediation remains confidential
- Mediation can settle a divorce much more quickly than a trial
Finally, it should be noted that mediation is not a proceeding that parties should feel trapped in. Mediation is voluntary. That means the parties involved may end the mediation process at their own convenience and then take the dispute to a judge or jury. Even if a judge orders a case to go to mediation, either the parties or the mediator can put an end to the proceedings.
