In Florida the term for divorce is dissolution of marriage. Traditionally when a married couple decided to end their marriage there were only a few options available.
    A. If they had minor children and marital assets, they would each retain an attorney and have their respective attorneys hammer out a divorce settlement agreement. This agreement would then be presented to the family court judge for an adjudication of an order of divorce.
   B. Alternatively, if the couple did not have minor children ... and no real marital assets ... and were not seeking any sorts of spousal support ... then they could, all on their own (pro se) petition the courts for the ending of the marriage.

Modernly the Florida courts have embraced the use of Mediators in the family court arena. With the use of a Certified Mediator the divorcing couple would craft an agreeable end to their marriage, work out issues of spousal support (alimony), parenting plans (visitation) and complete statutory child support calculations for the continued support of any minor children. Before the advent of mediation, this was an emotional, time consuming, and very costly endeavor on the part of the divorcing couple.

So the short answer is ... divorce mediation is a voluntary process, that a divorcing couple may enter into to assist them with the finalization of their marriage.

How does divorce by mediation actually work?

First we believe that mediation is the best way for a couple to obtain a divorce, without going broke, and spending large fees. We have streamlined the process, so that there are no unanswered questions.

A divorce by mediation typically requires three sessions with the mediator. Each session is approximately one and a half hours long. In these sessions, we work out the marital settlement agreement, spousal support (if any), parenting plans, and if the couple is pro se, we can complete all required forms for filing with the courts. Let me assure you that the process is confidential (protected by Florida Statute) and emotionally fulfilling. The total costs of our services are fixed, and so there are no fee surprises.

Please call our offices at (813) 907-8961 for a free consultation of your case, and a determination of fees.