Divorce Mediation
Mandatory Mediation
With respect to any issues involving your children, you are required to mediate, except in extremely rare circumstances. In Cook County, you are able to attend divorce mediation with Cook County Marriage And Family Counseling services. In other counties, you must pay for a mediator. You can use a private mediator for child-related issues if you wish.
Should You Mediate?
For financial issues, there are several questions that you must ask yourself. Do you have complete information regarding the marital estate? Do you trust your spouse to fully and fairly provide information regarding the marital estate? Is there a history of domestic violence or an imbalance of power in the marriage? Depending upon the answers to these questions, mediation may or may not work for you.
The Need for Both a Mediator and a Divorce Attorney
If you use private mediation for any issues (children or financial) you should still have a family law attorney. The mediator is neutral and cannot give you any legal advice.