Long Island Family Law and Mediation Blog
Not all divorces are messy. In some situations, both parties to a marriage agree that they have grown apart and that it is for the best for everyone involved that they 
go their separate ways. It may even be the case that the parties have discussed and resolved many of the issues that must be decided in a New York divorce proceeding, and have no interest in engaging in what is often a lengthy and costly legal proceeding. For these couples, New York divorce mediation may be a good alternative.
In a typical New York divorce proceeding, each party is represented by an attorney who is looking out solely for the best interests of their client. And when the atmosphere is highly contentious, this may be the only option. However, in situations where the parties can work together on some level, a divorce mediator can help the couple work through all of the issues that must be decided in hopes of coming to a mutually acceptable solution. Divorce mediation is very often much faster and less expensive than a traditional divorce.
Occasionally, a couple believes that a divorce should be uncontested, but the mediation process uncovers unanticipated issues or emotions leading to a less productive negotiating environment. Thus, a New York divorce is not truly “uncontested” until there is a binding settlement agreement that has been signed by both parties. Due to the non-binding nature of New York divorce mediation, couples who try divorce mediation and cannot come up with a mutually acceptable agreement can abandon the process and file for divorce in the traditional manner. Statistically, I can report that the vast majority of the couples that mediate with me resolve their issues and come to an agreement on all the required matters.
In my last blog I discussed the topic of adding the option of private sessions, upon agreement of couples working with me, in divorce mediation. Most of the time, when clients come to me in search of a trained divorce mediator, they follow a certain process that begins with a joint consultation session and continues into joint mediation meetings. This mediation strategy helps to maintain trust between all of the people involved in the mediation, because it eliminates the fear that either individual may be getting extra help from the mediator. Often, for mediation to be effective, the parties need to feel as though they are getting fair treatment from a completely objective third-party. As a divorce mediator, I strive to give all the people I work with that sense of comfort. However, sometimes, they may find it helpful to take a different kind of mediation route – such as one that involves preliminary planning sessions.
Divorce mediation is one of the most popular forms of alternative dispute resolution. For couples who would rather avoid the stress associated with litigation, mediation ensures a simpler strategy based on mutual negotiation with the support of an objective third-party. As a trained mediator, I’m committed to providing that for my couples in divorce mediation for Nassau County, Suffolk County, Long Island and Queens. I want everyone to feel as comfortable as possible in their mediation sessions.
many issues that would otherwise be decided by a judge. Last week, we discussed the fact that a New York divorce mediation can include terms that cover the custody of minor children, and provided an example where the court upheld a parties’ agreement although it was later contested by one of the parties.
process. In the latter type of divorce, it is not uncommon for the parties to agree on many of the issues that a court would otherwise need to decide. Among matters that are commonly worked out between divorcing spouses are the division of marital property and the payment of spousal support.
fundamental issues, New York 
the couple agrees on certain default rules regarding the couple’s assets. However, not all relationships are formed on the same set of expectations and many couples find that the process of drafting and executing a New York 
clients who aren’t sure what kind of process they want to use for their marital issues. In some situations, clients may want to access my assistance for legal advice, but then they also want to use me as a mediator too. Unfortunately, this isn’t an option that I can provide, because, in my view, it would potentially harm the neutral ground required for a successful divorce mediation process.
lessons that we’ve learned over the years and use what we know in the present to guide predictions about the years ahead. That’s exactly what I plan to do with this blog post about mediation in 2019. This blog is conjecture and should be taken as nothing more than my best guess at what will be available in terms of alternative dispute resolution and mediation options for couples in 2019 and the years beyond.
in effect. This includes the effect of the taxability or non-taxability of maintenance (alimony) and child support for separation and divorce agreements signed before 2019. I know general taxation principles as they apply to divorce and family law, as every experienced matrimonial lawyer and divorce mediator should. As always, however, I give a little disclaimer here and say check with your tax adviser, such as your Certified Public Accountant or tax lawyer, for tax advice as I do not give tax advice.