A divorce is a challenge, even when it’s something both parties want. While your divorce might not be the kind of aggressive divorce you see in the media, it’s still the end of a marriage. You may have negative feelings about your spouse or just want to get the divorce over with so that you can move on.
It is understandable that you and your spouse may not be seeing eye-to-eye over certain parts of your divorce such as spousal support, property division or even custody schedules. What may help is sitting down together and trying to work out a method for resolving these disputes. If you’re struggling to do so, mediation or arbitration may help.
Both mediation and arbitration can be of help since they have another party work with you to resolve your disputes. Mediation is the least structured option, giving you time to sit down and discuss your options with a third-party mediator present. Arbitration is set up more like a trial, and the arbitrator will make a decision on your case once all the information has been gathered and explained.
Mediation’s benefit is that your mediator can tell you about solutions that others have used or methods that might help you come to a resolution. On the other hand, if your spouse doesn’t want to negotiate, then arbitration is more formal and legally binding, helping any resolutions stick.
Your attorney can talk to you more about these options. The right choice for you may not be what is right for another party, so it’s a good idea to speak about these options with your attorney.