Divorce is a naturally emotional and difficult time, which often results in people making extremely rash decisions. Whether hurt by the sudden announcement of an intention to divorce, or by revelations of infidelities or other betrayals, or determined to protect children from a bad atmosphere, many people automatically make divorce into a combative battle of wills. They often seek out a divorce attorney immediately and express a desire to triumph over their former spouse in court.
Slow Down
Usually, however, it makes much more sense to take a moment, take a breath, and hit the Pause Button. The more planning you do before filing for divorce, the easier and less harmful the process will be – and there will be very real advantages in terms of what your divorce finally looks like, as well.
One of the best decisions you can make is to contact a NY divorce mediator as well as an attorney. In fact, your attorney may be able to recommend a mediator to you. Seeking mediation instead of immediately rushing into court has a lot of advantages:
- Mediation allows you to form a plan with your spouse to your mutual benefit with the benefit of a layer between you, keeping emotions in check
- It’s confidential and non-binding, so if you cannot find common ground the full course of the courts remains open to you, so you lose nothing
- Planning your divorce with your assets and children in mind is usually a much more advantageous way of settling matters than waiting for a judge to render a decision.
When divorce becomes inevitable, take a moment to plan, think, and consider mediation as an alternative to rushing into court. The advantages far outweigh any other concerns.
