By the time people in Pennsylvania decide to divorce, the marital relationship has often deteriorated beyond repair. In many cases, people decide to end their marriage after serious fights and incompatibilities about major issues like finances or parenting. Problems like infidelity and addiction are also major contributors to divorce. As a result, people may have a difficult time viewing themselves coming to an agreement about anything with their spouses. Still, many people also want to avoid an expensive and contentious divorce with raging disputes over child custody and finances.
This is one reason why many people can benefit from a more collaborative approach to divorce. Divorce mediation involves both spouses, as well as their family law attorneys, in a process that aims to achieve a successful settlement after the end of a marriage. After all, it may be too late for a positive marriage, but it is not necessarily too late for a positive divorce. This can be particularly important for parents, who will need to retain a co-parenting relationship for years and even decades to come. Reducing unnecessary conflict between parents can be important for the physical and psychological well-being of the children, who deserve both parents’ involvement in their lives.
In fact, when people arrive at child custody and parenting plans through mediation, they often feel more committed to the outcome. The mediation process itself can be challenging at times, especially when issues that led to conflict during the marriage emerge. In these cases, the family law attorneys can take the lead on proposing potential settlements.
People thinking about divorce can consult with a family law attorney to learn more about the consequences of ending a marriage. A lawyer can work to achieve a fair settlement in negotiations or in family court on a range of divorce legal issues, including property division and child custody.
