Divorces can be a very stressful, impactful and even traumatic experience for most families, couples, children and everyone involved. Sadly though, when it gets ugly it is often made far worse along the way by the decisions of one or both of the parties.

Many people hear that mediation can be a fraction of the cost of going to court and are skeptical, or may not understand how that could be possible. While there are certainly some situations where mediation makes less sense, there are many more reasons that support the use of mediation in a wide range of scenarios.

Sometimes a dispute will settle in a way that is a little surprising. One party may accept an offer relatively early on in negotiation talks, or at a point that comes unexpectedly. This is not always a result of inexperience in negotiation, but of a conscious decision to move on and focus efforts elsewhere.

Separating is very difficult whether or not you’re married to your partner. In addition to any emotional difficulties that might be going on, there are always a few unfortunate orders of business to deal with at some point.