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Does mediation work? The short answer: yes. There have been many studies on mediation over the past 20 years, and the general consensus is that mediation is effective.

Research shows that between 50 and 80 percent of divorcing couples who seek mediation services come to an agreement on terms regardless of animosity levels.

According to one study, 69% of people who have a mediated divorce are satisfied with the outcome compared to 47% of spouses who have an adversarial divorce.

Satisfaction: Men versus Women

The difference in satisfaction levels in mediated divorces between me and women are statistically insignificant, while in adversarial divorces, men are generally less satisfied than women with the outcome.

It was believed for a while that women were at a disadvantage in mediated divorces, but research has since disproved that.

Mediation Outcomes

In general, agreements reached during mediation are more comprehensive, and end in joint legal custody more commonly than rulings in adversarial divorces.

Child support payment terms negotiated in mediated divorces are typically about equal to those imposed in an adversarial divorce, but fathers are more likely to agree to pay for college expenses and other extras in a mediated divorce.

Compliance and Future Litigation

Ex-spouses are more likely to comply with agreements made in a mediated divorce than they are with rulings in adversarial divorces.

Ex-spouses are also less likely to drag each other back into court over issues such as child support, spousal support, parenting schedules, and the final division of community property.

Time and Money

Couples typically come to agreements much more quickly in mediated divorces than in adversarial ones. Mediated divorces also cost about 30-40% less on average than adversarial divorces, though in some highly disputed cases, the difference in cost can be massive. An adversarial divorce could cost more than twice as much as the mediated divorce of a couple in a similar situation.

Please contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced divorce attorney who can inform you of your options, and legal rights, and help you plan the best course of action.

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