Arbitration & Mediation

Although only the Court can order a divorce decree, arbitration or mediation may still be a useful tool. In mediation, the parties and their counsel work together with a neutral third party and attempt to negotiate a resolution of their dispute. Unlike mediation, arbitration is often binding upon the parties. The parties, with the assistance of their attorneys, will select an independent arbitrator who will take testimony from the parties and render a decision on the issues presented. Under the terms of an arbitration agreement, the parties agree to accept the decision of the arbitrator as final and that decision will be incorporated into the parties’ divorce decree.