El Dorado County Divorce Mediation Attorney
Your El Dorado County Divorce Mediation Lawyer
The decision to divorce can be a difficult one. It involves one of the biggest life transitions you may ever experience, especially if you have been with your spouse for 10 years or more or have children together. Another difficult divorce question you need to tackle is how to divorce in El Dorado County, CA. Will you choose mediation or does another approach better suit your specific marital situation?
If you and your partner have a few issues to negotiate but feel committed to separating amicably, then mediation is one of the best approaches to divorce you can take. If you decide on mediation, be mindful of the attorney you hire for the process. California attorneys do pocket more legal fees from contested divorces and there are many who might try to compel families to file contested for this very reason.
At McCunn Law, we hold ourselves to high standards of integrity. Our lawyer takes pride in always finding an amicable solution if one is available. The truth is that not every El Dorado County couple can divorce amicably. It takes two to commit to that decision and your partner may want to play hardball. For couples willing to try to find peaceful and unique solutions together, you’ve come to the right place.
An El Dorado County Divorce Mediation Lawyer You Can Trust Call (916) 773-6100
What Is Divorce Mediation?
Mediation involves hiring one neutral party to represent both parties’ interests in the divorce. As your mediator, our attorney makes a list of the important topics you need to tackle with your spouse and then facilitates the negotiation process. How involved we become in the process is up to you.
For instance, if you and your spouse agree on almost everything but just need unbiased answers to a few questions, our lawyer can assist with this to help you file uncontested. On the other hand, if you have far more obstacles to tackle, we can create a formal mediation process comprised of several sessions aimed at reaching mutually beneficial decisions.
Who Is Mediation Right For?
Mediation can work for all family structures in El Dorado County, CA. It is especially useful for couples with minor or dependent children. When there are high levels of friction between parents, the children suffer more often than not. Court custody battles soon spill out into their everyday lives and they begin to feel as if they need to choose a parent to make them happy or try not to show any favoritism at all. Mediation does not always prevent or cure animosity between parents. What it does is help to alleviate or restrain it.
Mediation also works well for high-asset or high-profile couples who prefer to keep divorce proceedings private. California does require financial disclosures, but couples who negotiate outside of a courtroom get to keep more sensitive details of their marriages to themselves. If this is important to you, mediation is an excellent choice. If you have complex finances, then you could consider a collaborative divorce instead.
Finally, mediation serves couples who would rather spend less time and money on divorce so they can have more assets to divide among themselves. It is not uncommon for couples to waste the marital assets on the divorce process and then find themselves left with nothing. If you can avoid this scenario, it is almost always worth considering.
When Is Mediation a Bad Idea?
One of the main downsides of mediation is that it requires your partners’ consent. Because of this, if your partner feels hell-bent on filing contested, then you may have no choice but to find yourself dragged into court in El Dorado County, CA. In spite of this, you might be able to change your partner’s mind. Talking up the financial benefits of mediation tends to help, as does the benefits for the kids.
Even when both parties agree to divorce, if the case involves several complexities related to finance and family matters, mediation might not prove as helpful as collaborative divorces. This is because collaborative divorce allows you to retain your own attorneys and hire additional professionals, such as a child psychologist and financial advisor, alongside your mediator.
Believe it or not, this is actually still less expensive than going to court in most cases. Your McCunn Law attorney can serve as a mediator in either of these cases as he has obtained certifications in both mediation and collaborative divorces.
What Can Couples Do To Increase Negotiation Success?
The most important step couples can take is to not view success as getting what they want but as finding mutually beneficial solutions. When couples approach divorce with this mindset, finding a middle ground is much easier. Along with the crucial role compromising plays, here are other important factors to consider:
- Collect and prepare all necessary documentation for the divorce, such as tax returns, bank statements, asset titles and debt agreements.
- Determine if you would rather have a rigid final agreement or something with enough wiggle room to adjust without a new court order later on.
- Make a list of your must-haves and rock-bottom sacrifices, but be willing to adjust this list as new information comes in or as your spouse makes new compromises.
- Start your list of must-haves and rock-bottom sacrifices with what is best for the children or other dependents, if there are any in the marriage.
- Consider therapy or find a good friend to vent to, so you increase the chances of attending mediation sessions with a clear head and cooperative mindset.
- If children are over the age of 14 or mature enough to make their own decisions, consider asking for their input so you have more buy-in from them.
How Can McCunn Law Help?
Many of our current and past clients initially believed they had to make a decision regarding mediation before reaching out to us. If you are still undecided, give us a call and let us know the details of your case. We can let you know whether mediation may work for you better than other divorce options we provide at the firm.
While our attorney prioritizes amicable divorces, we can go to bat for you in the courtroom if that is the option you prefer. The only way to know for sure what works best is to schedule a consultation today and get the process started. Contact our lawyer for more information.
Why Choose McCunn Law
Our methods for handling business owner divorce and family law issues are unique. We offer legal assistance for a range of family law cases, including:
- Adoption
- Business Owner Divorce
- Child Custody
- Child Support
- Child Support Modification
- Cohabitation Agreement
- Debt Resolution
- Divorce
- Domestic Partnership
- Domestic Violence Restraining Order
- Family Business
- Family Residence
- High Asset Divorce
- Inheritance Dispute
- Legal Separation
- Paternity
- Premarital Agreement
- Property Division
- Retirement Benefit Division
- Spousal Support
- Visitation Agreements
Mr. McCunn specializes in a holistic, project management approach which empowers you to make your own decisions throughout the process. He has a reputation as a peacemaker and his honest and pragmatic attitude towards divorce and other family law issues ensures you only pay for the services you need during your case.
“McCunn Law is a high-quality and highly knowledgeable legal team. I went into a consultation regarding child custody and was extremely happy with the plan and ultimately the results of my case. They create a plan with the client’s needs and wants in mind. Drummond is also great working with regarding what kind of budget a client would be able to afford. If I have any more legal needs in the future this is the office I will use every time.”
“McCunn Law is a high-quality and highly knowledgeable legal team. I went into a consultation regarding child custody and was extremely happy with the plan and ultimately the results of my case. They create a plan with the client’s needs and wants in mind. Drummond is also great working with regarding what kind of budget a client would be able to afford. If I have any more legal needs in the future this is the office I will use every time.”
“McCunn Law is a high-quality and highly knowledgeable legal team. I went into a consultation regarding child custody and was extremely happy with the plan and ultimately the results of my case. They create a plan with the client’s needs and wants in mind. Drummond is also great working with regarding what kind of budget a client would be able to afford. If I have any more legal needs in the future this is the office I will use every time.”