If we mediate, how many meetings will we have and what will
actually happen?
How mediation progresses will depend on the issues that you
and your ex-partner wish to resolve. Most issues fall into one of two categories
– either arrangements about children or financial matters. It may be that you
have issues covering both these categories.
When looking at financial matters, the first stage is to gather all the relevant
financial information. The mediator will help both of you do this in order to
ensure that each of you knows exactly what information you need to get. At the
second stage the mediator will then put that information up on a flip chart
which will present both of you with a snap-shot of your family’s current financial
situation. This is a great help in beginning the process of looking at the different
options for sorting out those finances. The mediator will generally have all
that information typed up and attach to it the supporting documentation that
each of you has obtained and relevant explanatory comments and will then send
it to you and your respective solicitors so that you can then get advice about
your legal position from your chosen solicitor. You need to know what the law
considers is a fair solution before you and your ex-partner can begin to find
a solution that is fair and workable from your point of view. It is usually
at the third mediation session that the mediator can help the couple find such
a solution in which case the mediator will put those proposals in writing to
each of you and to your solicitor so that you can then check them out with your
solicitor and if appropriate they can be turned into a binding agreement.
