Benefits of Mediation vs. Litigation

Mediation	Litigation
Cost Savings:
$160 an hour total ($80 an hour per party)	$5000-$7000 retainer per party (or higher depending on the case)
The time for "discovery" is eliminated	"Discovery" of legal information needed for litigation takes time and can be costly
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
Time-Efficient:
Mediation expedites a resolution	Litigation can result in a long court case, taking months or even years
By being done sooner, 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 apointments 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
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
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
Improves Communication When Parties Need to Maintain a Relationship:
Collaborative and respectful communication between parties	Argumentative and added frustration with the other party
Can address important emotional issues	Each party communicates only with their own attorney
Positive Communication Skills are learned	Parties 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 Individual:
Parties are more likely to follow mediated agreements	Court imposed judgments are followed less than mediated agreements causing future problems
Client-Oriented	Tears up people emotionally and financially
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

Benefits of Mediation vs. Litigation

Cost Savings:

Time-Efficient:

Control of the Process:

Improves Communication When Parties Need to Maintain a Relationship:

Impact on the Individual:

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