The Steps to the Process of Child Custody Mediation

When marriages come to an end, children tend to be the most affected parties. Each parent wants to be part of their children’s lives just as before. This is why Child Custody Mediation is more beneficial than custody battles in the courts. Mediation allows both parents to amicably come to a parenting plan that allows them to actively be involved in their children’s lives. This process also has other advantages like time-saving, cost-saving, less stress, and more importantly, the process keeps the family more united compared to court proceedings. These are the steps followed during custody mediation in Utah:

 

Meet the Mediator

The first step is to identify a mediator you both agree on. During the first meeting, the mediator will explain how the mediation process works and what each parent is required to do. The mediator doesn’t represent any of the parents; neither does he/she give legal advice. Their main job is to help the parents reach a custody agreement. This is not the time to bring your fights – it’s time to focus on finding what’s best for the children.

 

Identify and Categorize the Contested Issues

The mediator will help identify what custody issues need to be tackled in terms of priority. It’s better to start with the easy issues to give the parents time to ease into the process, whereas the complex issues can be tackled later when they have fully accepted the process.

 

Discuss Solutions

This stage can only be successful if both parties are open-minded. You have to find the best possible solution to the issues discussed before. The mediator will negotiate the solutions and both parents need to compromise with each other’s solutions. Both parents should give solutions that are in the best interest of the children, not their own.

 

Sign the Custody Agreement

After finding solutions to the contested issues, the mediator will draft the custody agreement. Make sure you go through this document to ensure it reflects what you agreed on. Understand that this document is legally binding. So, before signing it, let your attorney examine it. After both of you are satisfied with the agreement, you can sign it and have it submitted to the court for approval.

 

Mediation provides a better alternative to solving child custody issues as compared to court proceedings. Both parents get a chance to contribute to what is best for the children. Attorneys at The Law Office of David Pedrazas, PLLC help Utah families reach co-parenting solutions that are beneficial to the kids and meet every parent’s needs.

 

 

About the Author:

David Pedrazas is a premier divorce and family law attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah Law School in 1997 and has been practicing for over 14 years in the areas of divorce, child support, child custody, paternity, alimony, property division, and parent time.

 

 

Law Office of David Pedrazas, PLLC
3325 South 1100 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84106
801-263-7078