There is one type of mediation where the parties have had attorneys throughout the whole process and the attorneys have the case very well prepared, know exactly what the issues are, and are prepared with their proposed solutions. Those kind of mediation sessions where I would be a mediator, we would typically take an all-day marathon where we would spend the entire day resolving all the issues that we could in that day because everyone is very prepared and ready to resolve their whole case.
The other type of mediation that’s very common is when the parties don’t have attorneys sort of running the show. They may have an attorney in the background helping them, but they will be working primarily with the mediator. In that case, I would probably see them maybe three to four times total and I would be giving them homework in between to go find out some information that maybe we need to keep proceeding on with the mediation.
Then I would schedule these sessions probably every two to three weeks so that the parties would have time to gather the information that I requested, and just realizing that people have lives, they have things to do, and they have to be able to get their other parts of their lives done and have a little chance to maybe even think and decompress and come back to the table in a good position to make some progress.
Laura Schantz, a Beaverton divorce and family lawyer and mediator has helped clients find creative solutions to complex financial matters involving asset division, spousal support, and child support. To learn more about Laura Schantz and her firm, visit www.oregondivorceattorney.com.
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