We’ve come a long way from the days when the only way to end a marriage was to spend hours, weeks, or months presenting cases in court. As an experienced family law attorney myself, I know there are always situations where the traditional “litigation” approach still makes the most sense. But for many couples across New York, alternative dispute resolution methods are often a lot more appealing. Mediation, for instance, doesn’t completely eliminate the stress of divorce, but it is, for many, a superior process.
Divorce mediation gives couples an option to take a more collaborative approach, one that can help them to preserve amicable relationships, avoid hefty fees, and even maintain some control over what happens next in their separate lives. The problem in the past, is that although the New York courts support mediation, couples haven’t always had the most choice when it comes to deciding who they want to work with on their case.
Location rather than “true fit” usually formed the basis of most decisions. After all, no-one wants to travel for hours every time they need to attend a face-to-face mediation session. The good news is that mediation services are evolving. Virtual mediation sessions skyrocketed in popularity during the pandemic, and have continued to provide Chemung county couples with more freedom ever since. Continue reading ›