3 signs it may be time to walk away from divorce mediation

 Posted on September 13, 2019 in Uncategorized

Marriage means something different to every couple. While you may have chosen to marry your spouse for love or security, your marriage certificate is a legal contract between you, your spouse and the state. As such, to dissolve your union, you must divide marital property and obtain a court order.

Gone are the days when couples had little choice but to engage in a protracted legal battle. Nowadays, a growing number of divorcing spouses choose alternate dispute resolution, such as mediation, to wrap up their marriages. While there are many advantages to mediating a divorce, sometimes, it simply does not work. Here are three signs it may be time to walk away from your divorce mediation:

1. Your partner is trying to devastate you

>Divorce mediation requires both parties to make a good faith effort to dissolve the marriage. While any divorce is apt to have some acrimonious moments, your partner should not try to destroy you. If you suspect he or she wants to leave you in financial or emotional ruin, it may be time to explore other options.

2. Your spouse threatens violence

If you were in an abusive relationship, mediation may not be right for you from the outset. Still, a relationship may turn abusive at any point, including during divorce. If your partner threatens violence against you or your children, continuing to mediate may put you in danger.

3. Your negotiations have failed

Even if both you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse try diligently to reach an acceptable agreement, mediation is not always successful. If your good-faith negotiations have reached an impasse, you may need to ask a judge to intervene.

Pursuing mediation may be an effective way to divide marital assets, establish child custody and otherwise dissolve your marriage. If you start with mediation and find it is not working for you, though, you may need to try a different approach.