Orange County Mediation Lawyer
Prior to family law mediation, about 90 percent of litigants believe the proceeding will be a waste of time. If we could talk out our problems, they rationalize, we wouldn’t have gone to court in the first place. Yet most litigants quickly change their tune. Divorce mediation is about 90 percent successful in New York. Roughly the same success rate applies in all family law proceedings. That includes original proceedings and subsequent modifications.
Fundamentally, the dedicated Orange County mediation lawyer at The Law Office of Robert Sunshine are problem-solvers. Although we usually strongly advocate for a certain client in a family law matter, because of this problem-solving commitment, we can also change gears and bring two sides together. We can even bring two sides together although they seem hopelessly far apart. We’ve done that before, and we can do it again.
Three Cs of Mediation
Mediation has such a high success rate because it’s more than talking about disagreements. At a mediation session, both sides come face-to-face with the three Cs of mediation:
- Control: At trial, a judge who knows almost nothing about the families involved in the dispute unilaterally dictates the outcome. That’s a tough pill for many people to swallow. Statistics show that mediated settlements require fewer enforcement actions, since the litigants feel like they shaped the outcome themselves.
- Civility: Mediation is an empowering experience. Many parents feel like if they talk out their problems once, they can do so again, when they inevitably arise. Such cooperation benefits the children. To be effective co-parents, divorced spouses don’t need to be friends. But they do need to be civil towards one another.
- Cost: We saved perhaps the best benefit of mediation for last. In most family law matters, time is literally money. The less time a case consumes, the lower the cost. According to the Department of Justice, mediation shortens litigation by a collective 2,800 months every year, saving litigants over $70 million.
In other words, many litigants may not be willing to mediate their disputes. But they’re more than willing to reap the benefits of mediation. So, that’s what our Orange County mediation lawyers focus on.
Mediation Procedure
This form of alternative dispute resolution works not only because of the three Cs. It also works because of the unique nature of this process.
Generally, mediation sessions occur not in courtrooms or other formal settings, but in an office or another informal environment. The setting drains much of the emotion from what can be an emotional confrontation. Furthermore, the parties spend most of their time in separate rooms, so they have a chance to further cool their heels.
As the parties wait in separate areas, the mediator conveys settlement offers and counter-offers back and forth. Experienced mediators know when to apply gentle pressure and when to let parties reach their own conclusions. So, no one feels forced into anything.
Furthermore, there’s no risk. If on the off chance mediation fails, the litigation process simply resumes where it left off.
Connect With a Hard-Working Clarkstown Attorney
Family law matters almost always involve emotional and financial issues. For a confidential consultation with an experienced Orange County mediation lawyer, contact The Law Office of Robert S. Sunshine, P.C. We routinely handle matters in Rockland County and nearby jurisdictions.
