We're Just Better Friends

Believe it or not, a divorcing couple can still be friends. Although it may seem unusual, a couple going through a divorce usually with minor children can continue to stay friends despite the situation. There's nothing easier for a family mediator than working with a couple who actually likes each other, wants to do the best thing for the family, and has already agreed to a good portion of the marital division. Mediations like this are a dream and are more common than one might think. So if they like each other, why use a mediator? Why not just do the divorce yourself? Well, it's simple. The family court system can be overwhelming and someone who is new to the system will quickly get lost in the paperwork. A mediator simplifies the process.  The Marital Settlement Agreement and accompanying Parenting Plan are extremely detailed and confusing.  A mediator takes the complexity out of the forms and streamlines the process.  By properly completing the forms, a mediator can prevent the agreements from getting kicked back by a Judge for a lack of specificity or being incomplete.

Sometimes couples are just better friends than spouses. And that formula makes for the perfect pre-suit mediation.

All the Single Ladies

The term "illegitimacy" is no longer a nasty word. In past generations illegitimacy was taboo, but today it is the norm.  A family statistic quoted in the Miami Herald in February stated that "more than half of births to U.S. women younger than 30 occur outside marriage." Specifically, that group consists of "white women in their 20s who have some college education" according to Child Trends - a Washington research group. So, what's my point in throwing this statistic at you? Well, mainly it's because these unwed mothers are entitled to child support from the child's father. Even if the father is no longer in the picture, he still has a duty to pay child support.  That is the law in Florida, like it or not.  Family mediation is a great forum for resolving this issue with the father of your child. You don't need to fight about child support in court.  A family mediator can sit down with both parents, navigate them through the child support guidelines, and draw up an agreement about child support payments.  Things don't have to be difficult. Claim the child support you deserve.