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Navigating the Florida Divorce Mediation Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
|Divorce can be challenging and emotionally charged, but we’re here to help you navigate it with empathy and expertise at Reineke Mediations. Mediation is a popular alternative to traditional courtroom divorces, offering a more amicable and cost-effective solution for couples seeking to dissolve their marriage. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll take you through the Florida divorce mediation process and show you how Reineke Mediations can assist you every step of the way.
Step 1: Free Telephone Consultation
The journey begins with a free telephone consultation with our Attorney/Mediator, Beth Reineke. The purpose of this consultation is to explain our mediation process to you; to answer any questions you have about our mediation process and Attorney Reineke’s credentials, experience and fees; and, in general, to help you determine whether pre-suit mediation or another form of mediation would be a good fit for you and your family.
Step 2: Selection of a Mediator
Choosing the right mediator is a critical decision. Mediators facilitate communication and guide discussions, helping couples work toward a mutually agreeable resolution.
As a highly qualified professional, Beth Reineke is uniquely equipped to assist couples to settle the various issues related to their divorce. As a licensed attorney with a finance degree from the University of South Florida and a law degree from the University of Florida College of Law, Reineke brings knowledge and experience to every case. She practiced various types of commercial and family law from 1990 until 1997 when she focused exclusively on divorce and family law. She has been certified by the Florida Supreme Court to conduct mediations for divorces and other family law matters since 1997. Additionally, from 2000 to 2015, she was among fewer than 20 Florida Bar Board Certified Divorce and Family Law Litigators in Tampa, Florida and 270 statewide. Around 2015, she transitioned her practice to focus solely on alternatives to litigation, such as mediation. In addition to being a licensed attorney with over 25 years of experience and a Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator, she has received training in Parent Coordination for high-conflict family matters, Divorce and Family Arbitration, and Collaborative Divorce.
Step 3: Mediation Sessions
Mediation typically consists of at least two sessions, each lasting around two hours. The total number of sessions required to reach a global settlement varies depending on the issues’ complexity and both parties’ willingness to collaborate. At Reineke Mediations, we create a comfortable and neutral environment for open transparent dialogue, ensuring both parties feel heard and respected, and have the necessary information to make informed decisions about which settlement options are the most equitable and/or in the best interests of their children.
Throughout these sessions, the mediator will help identify critical issues, explore potential solutions, and work towards a final agreement. It’s important to note that the mediator does not make decisions for the couple but facilitates the negotiation process. The decisions of whether to settle and which settlement options are the best suited for the parties and their children lie solely in the hands of the participants.
Step 4: Financial Disclosure
Transparency is essential during the mediation process, particularly regarding finances. At Reineke Mediations, both parties sign a contract with the Mediator agreeing to provide a complete and accurate financial disclosure, which includes information about assets, debts, income, and expenses. Our mediator at Reineke Mediations will guide each of you through this process, ensuring that all required documents are provided, and nothing is overlooked.
Step 5: Property and Asset Division
One of the most significant aspects of divorce mediation is the division of assets and liabilities. During mediation, the Mediator ensures both parties understand the nature of their different types of assets and liabilities so they can discuss and negotiate the allocation of assets, debts, and other financial matters. Attorney Reineke will help you and your ex explore various settlement options and reach a fair and equitable agreement.
Step 6: Support
Whether it is determining whether alimony is needed and can be paid or calculating child support pursuant to Florida’s statutory guidelines, our Mediator is with you every step of the way. We will help you analyze the data using our Mediator’s knowledge of finances and Florida law as well as computer generated schedules, and then you and your ex can decide what financial settlement is right for you and your family.
Step 7: Parenting Plan and Time-Sharing
For couples with children, creating a comprehensive parenting plan is crucial. The plan outlines how you will co-parent, including day to day and holiday time-sharing schedules, decision-making responsibilities, and communication with the other parent and with your children. Our experienced mediator will assist you in developing a parenting plan that focuses on the best interests of your children.
Step 8: Finalizing the Agreement
Once all issues have been addressed, the mediator will draft a comprehensive Marital Settlement Agreement, addressing all the financial issues, and, if applicable, a Parenting Plan, addressing the issues related to your children. These agreements will encompass all the terms and conditions negotiated and agreed upon during mediation. At Reineke Mediations, we ensure these contracts are clear and, once signed, binding and enforceable.
Step 9: Review and Filing
Before finalizing the divorce, the draft agreements will be emailed to both parties for review. You are not required to have the draft agreements reviewed by another attorney if you feel you understand the terms and conditions and your rights and obligations as set out in the agreements, but you always have this option. Once you have reviewed the drafts, there will be a final mediation session to discuss and finalize your agreements and the court documents the mediator has drafted that are required by the court to finalize your divorce. Once all your documents have been signed, notarized, and copied, you will take the originals to the clerk of court, who processes your court documents and will schedule a short ten-to-fifteen-minute hearing with a judge or a magistrate to review and approve your agreements and grant your divorce.
Conclusion:
Navigating the Florida divorce mediation process can be a transformative and less contentious way to end a marriage. At Reineke Mediations, we’re dedicated to helping you through each step of the journey. Our experienced mediator is committed to fostering open communication, ensuring a fair division of income, assets, and liabilities, and prioritizing the well-being of your children.
Contact Reineke Mediations to learn how our mediation services can help you achieve an amicable and cost-effective resolution! CALL NOW! (813) 205-6675.
