With our expert advice, at Miams you will end the divorce process ready to face the future in a positive light.
Often the process of divorce can seem like a rollercoaster with no way to get off, or change, the ride when it has begun. If solicitors have been instructed then you will find that the costs of the divorce can accelerate until they have eaten into the value of your property and assets.
After being buffeted by legal jargon and proceedings you finally get a divorce agreed feeling shaken by the whole process and the relationship between you and your partner will have suffered.
Rather than undertake that legal journey perhaps you should consider an alternative form of dispute resolution.
Mediation is the sensible alternative to legal proceedings when you are considering a separation or a divorce.
At the start of the process you will meet with a mediator who will talk you through the procedure. Mediation is not an optional extra in divorce, in most cases you are required to undertake some form of mediation.
The aim of the mediation process is to take you through to a situation where you will be able to reach an agreement on finances, maintenance and childcare arrangements that is acceptable to both parties.
The main advantage of mediation is its flexibility. Mediation enables you to discuss your affairs relating to any issue, whether it is finance or children, in a safe space.
The interests of children, grandparents and extended families can also be taken into account. Mediation is also suitable for same sex couples who are considering dissolving their civil partnership agreement.
At the end of the mediation process you will produce a mutually acceptable agreement that you can use to conclude your divorce proceedings. With our expert advice, at MIAMS, you will end the divorce process ready to face the future in a positive light.
Contact us for Family Mediation – 03300 101 354
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Family’s are deeply affected by divorce or separation, especially when there are children in the family. Often these painful situations can be helped with the aid of a mediator who will hold a Mediation Intake Assessment Meeting or MIAM. MIAMs can soothe ruffled feelings and ensure that communal assets are divided equally, make sure that financial obligations of both parents are laid out and help to make the break as easy as possible for all the members of the family.
When attending a court proceeding on the matter, the family will need to present an FM1 (Family Mediation 1 form) which confirms that a MIAM has been held.
As of April 2014, significant changes were made to the judicial system regarding separation and divorces, particularly where children were involved. These changes ensure that the welfare of the children is paramount, with minimal impact on the children and as little negativity as possible. One of the major changes was a requirement for a mediation session or MIAM to be attended before any court proceedings to do with financial or custody matters (hence the need for a FM1 to be produced).
If the split is acrimonious and both parties find it difficult to be in the same room, as would happen with face to face mediation, it is possible to ask for shuttle mediation.
Shuttle sessions happen when the two parties are seated in separate rooms and the mediator shuttles between the two, discussing issues and offering solutions.
Shuttle mediation is often a good solution with distance between the parties allowing for rational and reasoned thinking.
Mediation sessions are now a legal requirement, and your ex’s lawyer will make this clear to him or her.
Offering shuttle mediation, in which they will not have to share a room while coming to an agreement, is sometimes a way to make the thought of mediation more palatable.
Mediators can also help with will disputes: resolving issues between heirs and coming to an acceptable compromise in the event that the will is ambiguous or unclearly worded.