Most judges require the parties in family law matters to attend mediation prior to holding any hearings to decide matters in dispute between the parties. While the parties are obligated to attend mediation, they are not required to agree to anything during the deposition. The goal of family law mediation is to determine what the parties can agree to, and what they will need for the Court to decide. The mediator is not a judge and does not have any authority to make any decisions. They are simply there to help negotiate. Different mediators have different approaches to mediation, most find that speaking to the parties together does little to help facilitate agreement on any issues. The parties are usually in separate rooms and the mediator goes back and for the between the parties sharing the offers and positions of the respective parties.

Mediations usually last more than half of a day and you should be prepared to spend all day if necessary. Remember our goal is to find out what we can agree on and what we will need the judge to decide. You will not be required to speak during the mediation and you will always have the opportunity to discuss any offers and counteroffers with your lawyer to make sure you understand exactly what is going on. There is no obligation to settle your case at mediation, but the majority of case are settled at mediation and it is often the best opportunity to resolve outstanding issues.