Property Division in Divorce Mediation

Personal Property Division doesn’t have to be difficult. The idea is to make it as fair as possible. That way, the judge won’t change your agreement and will agree with what you decide. Why do judges care? They want what is best, of course, but they also want to avoid a later court battle over…

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Summer’s Half Gone: Time to Get Things Done with Mediation

It’s halfway through summer and it’s time to get moving to get things done. Use the summer wisely by playing with your kids, but do the things you can now to insure you have time and can play with your kids in the future. The most important thing in divorce mediation is the kids, and…

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How to Handle Personal Property Division

Folks often ask me, “Why all the bother about personal property?” After all, it’s all our stuff and we got it all divided up as we wish. Why does the judge or referee care what I do with my stuff? The answer is simple. The judge is concerned about fairness. That’s why I have folks…

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What to Bring to Mediation

Clients often ask me, “What do I bring to mediation?” My answer is, eventually you bring everything: anything that proves the amounts of salary, assets, retirement accounts etc. But not right away. The most important thing to bring to mediation is yourselves, in a reasonable shape to mediate. That means sleeping well (if possible), don’t…

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Divorce Mediation and Shortening the Process

Divorce Mediation or Separation Mediation can be a longer process if you have a lot of possessions to divide or have a lot of children, especially with a large age range. It helps you a great deal if you can figure a few things out before you come in to see me. It is fastest…

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Divorce Mediation 2019

This is my first blog post of 2019, so I wish you a happy new year. Snow is on the ground, it’s cold and there is only a little more light than there was in December. For most people that means hunkering down, doing only what you have to do to get through the winter.…

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Heading for a Christmas Divorce? Try Divorce Mediation

Divorce is heart-breaking at any time of year, but especially at Christmas, that most family-oriented of holidays (the same can be said of Hanukkah). What other holiday celebrates the chance to give presents to everyone, and have special holiday meals and parties. Cookies, fudge, popcorn balls and ethnic delights abound. Families have traditions for Christmas…

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Holidays and Mediation

The holidays are coming and when they do, lots of family gatherings come, too. The holidays can have an effect on mediation: some folks try to ignore the tension and the coming split, until they can get through the season. A tense situation in a family can also affect the holidays. It is MUCH harder…

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Divorce Mediation and What’s “Right”

People ask me sometimes, “What is the hardest part of divorce mediation?” I would have to say it’s when one or both people get “locked-in” to a position. If people are absolutely firm and unyielding in their different positions, then mediation is over, because without movement no agreement in divorce mediation can be reached. Sometimes…

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