Mediation Provides Alternative to Court in Family Disputes

It’s a sad fact of modern life that resolving family disputes in court can be a long, stressful and expensive process. To add insult to injury, last year’s cuts to legal aid left many separating couples trying to navigate the court process on their own. Increasingly, couples are turning to Mediation to resolve issues resulting from divorce or separation.

The process involves a neutral third person – a skilled mediator – and gives couples the chance to retain control of their affairs and make decisions which suit their specific circumstances – an outcome that is sometimes lost in the court process. Mediation reduces the adversarial nature of some breakups, often benefiting the whole family through fairer settlements. Couples choosing Mediation are more likely to achieve a swifter, fairer and more cost-effective outcome that puts children at the forefront of their decisions. Legal aid is still available for mediation to couples who qualify. In April 2014, in an attempt to relieve the increasing pressure on Family Law Courts, new regulations were introduced meaning that unless specific exemption criteria applies, courts will no longer accept applications to issue children act and financial proceedings until applicants have attended a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting (MIAM). Wilkinson Woodward’s team of experienced family mediators specialise in helping couples reach decisions on issues including divorce, separation, childcare, property and finances. To find out more about MIAMs, claiming legal aid for mediation or to arrangement an appointment with one of our experienced mediators, call one of our offices in Halifax (01422 339600), Brighouse (01484 710 571) or Huddersfield (01484 483 800).