Domestic Mediation

Divorce in Georgia can be expensive, especially if you have a contentious legal battle. The average cost of a litigated divorce is $25,000, while the average cost of a mediated divorce is $6,000-7,000.

Second, because mediation is solution-oriented, it can help you and your partner start this new phase in your relationship from a better place. Let a divorce mediator help you create a parenting plan and custody arrangement that will work for both you and your ex. Especially if you have children, divorce mediation can help you begin your journey as co-parents with less animosity and stress, which will be better for your children and your family.

Let your spouse or child’s parent know it is your hope and goal to find agreements that consider everyone’s needs in the most amicable way possible, and it is important to you that the two of you and not a judge make decisions for your family. Ask if he or she would be willing to look into a Domestic mediator. Meet your mediators, ask questions, and decide if mediation is right for you.

As mediators, we stay neutral. We don’t discuss your personal situation until both of you are there so we avoid the problem of the other thinking we might have been somehow swayed to your side because you called first. Encourage your spouse or the parent of your child to call us too. We will gladly provide him or her the same information we gave you and then set up the consultation when you are ready.

The spouses and parents who do the best in our process realize and accept that they need each other’s cooperation to untie the emotional and financial knots of their marriage. They want to avoid court and negotiate fairly because they will be seeing each other regularly as they co-parent their children, and stay involved with family and mutual friends after divorce. If each of you wants to try to reach an agreement and you are committed to listening to each other’s needs, you are great candidates for mediation!

If you are in danger of domestic violence or threats of harm or injury to you, your children, or anyone in your household, call 911 first. Once you are safe, talk to a shelter, an attorney, or the court clerk about an emergency protective order the cost of which is free. Mediation may or may not be appropriate depending on your circumstances.

If the parties do not reach an agreement, you maintain the right to take the dispute before a judge or jury. If you start domestic mediation but decide to stop before you complete an agreement, you will maintain your right to go to court at a scheduled court date.

Generally, the cost of domestic mediation is shared equally between the parties involved unless otherwise stated. In some cases, the judge may order a case to be mediated.

It is difficult to forecast precisely how long a domestic mediation will take or how much mediation will cost. These issues are driven by how agreeable the participants are and how complex the matter is. Generally, for divorces, we meet between two and six times for approximately two hours each meeting. The meetings are charged hourly. A retainer amount will be quoted at the initial meeting for document preparation on a case by case basis. We offer a free telephone consultation with a mediator to assist you in assessing the cost for your matter.

No, we recommend you receive your own legal advice, before and throughout the mediation process to help you make informed decisions. Good mediation does not replace good legal advice.