Mediation: Hammering out the Details
If you’re preparing for mediation, it means you’re likely optimistic about being able to reach a settlement agreement with your spouse and are getting ready to come out on the other side of an often difficult process. It’s always good to close a difficult chapter in your life, but when it comes to mediation, it’s important to remain focused. The settlement you hammer out in mediation will play a significant role in your post-divorce future, and it’s critical that you carefully attend to the details. For this reason, it is advisable to consult with your own attorney during the mediation process and certainly before you sign any documents affect your legal rights. To schedule a consultation with Richmond divorce attorney Frank Vendt, call our office today at (832) 276-9474 or contact us online.
The Process
Throughout the mediation process, emotions are bound to run high, but if you’re successful in that process, you’ll end up with a settlement that you feel comfortable agreeing to. It’s an exhausting process, but once you’ve carefully attended to the details, you’ll be glad in the knowledge that you’ve worked hard to help secure your future. The details, however, are where things can get tricky.
You’ve come to an agreement in mediation, and now it’s time to get it all down on paper—with the details spelled out. It is important to remember that any settlement agreement you sign is binding, so it is critical that its terms accurately reflect the terms to which you agreed. For this reason, it is a good idea to have any settlement agreement reviewed by your attorney before signing it.
Details, Details, Details
The details of a divorce settlement are extremely important, but it’s easy to lose sight of them during a difficult and acrimonious mediation session. Speak frankly with your attorney—well before mediation—about the details that matter most to you. For example, if you’ll be selling the family home and splitting the proceeds, there are plenty of factors to consider:
- The exact date the house will be put on the market
- How the asking price will be determined
- Who will remain in the house in the meantime
- Who will pay for the cost of home ownership in the meantime
- What real estate broker will be used
- How the proceeds will be divided
There’s a lot to think about, but the outcome is simply too important to leave to chance.
The Critical Issues
Divorce is a journey, but it typically comes down to two or three critical issues, including child custody, the division of your marital assets, and spousal maintenance. Carefully go over the details that are pertinent to your divorce with your attorney, and create a list of the elements you want to be covered in your settlement. It’s much easier and more effective to work on this as you go along—rather than to try and remember everything after trudging through mediation. By planning ahead, you can help ensure that mediation works for you.
If You’re Headed to Divorce Mediation, You Need an Experienced Richmond, Texas, Divorce Attorney
For many, mediation is an important step in the process of getting a divorce. It is important to remember that the details that you agree upon in mediation can affect you years or decades to come. Attorney Frank J. Vendt at The Vendt Law Firm, P.L.L.C., in Richmond, Texas, understands the mediation process, and he has the knowledge, experience, and compassion to help you. To schedule a consultation with Mr. Vendt, please contact or call our office at (832) 276-9474 today.
