Benefits of Divorce Mediation vs. Litigation

Mediation	Litigation
Cost Savings:
$160 an hour total ($80 an hour per party)	$5000-$7000 retainer per party or $10,000-$14,000 total to start
Typical cost of divorce $320-$1,280 (2-8 hours is typical)	$10,000-$14,000 or more total (50% of litigated divorces cost over $50,000 per the film DivorceCorp)
No hidden fees	"Scheduling Fees" of often $1,500 on top of hourly fees.
Child support Negotiations: $160 an hour ($80 per party)	Often $3,500 for Child Support Mediations or Updates
Money saved can benefit the family	Money spent results in further resentment toward one's ex-spouse
Time-Efficient
Mediation expedites the divorce process	Litigation can result in the divorce being delayed months or even years
By being done earlier, parties get to move on with their own lives quicker	The drawn out process prevents one from starting over with their lives
Evening and some weekend appointments are available	The courts are open limited times
Control of the Process:
The parties get the final say	Lawyers battle each other in court and the judge gets the final say
Empowering	Stressful
Parties get to solve their own challenges & create their own solutions	Proposed solutions are shot down by the other party's attorney
Peaceful Process	Hostile Process
Win-Win	Win-Lose or Lose-Lose
Confidential Process	Court records and transcripts can be public records spreading your private life and information to the public
Fair and Just Solutions	You may not like the court imposed decisions and feel they are unfair, and that you didn't have a say
Improves Future Communication: In Order to Raise the Children Together Productively
Collaborative and respectful communcation with ex-to-be	Argumentative and added frustration with your ex-spouse
Can address important emotional issues	Each spouse communicates only with their own attorney
Positive communication skills are learned	After divorce, ex-spouses still do not know how to communicate productively, creating possible future disputes
Sometimes parties receive the apology and forgiveness they inwardly seek	Litigation and court often results in more anger and frustration
Humor is allowed as appropriate	Humor rarely exists in court proceedings
Impact on the Family:
Parents are more likely to follow mediated agreements	Court imposed judgements are followed less than mediated agreements causing future problems
Family Oriented	Tears up families
Extended family accepts the divorce	Extended family hates the ex from dragging their child through a long and expensive divorce
People get to move on with their lives	People feel a constant burden and find it sometimes impossible to get on with their lives while in litigation