Mediation

Good people in good families have difficult problems just like everybody else. Individuals and families involved in domestic disputes in Texas know all too well that the time, expense, and emotional impact involved in family law litigation can exact a costly price even if the case settles. Most family law disputes, including child custody, placement, child support, and marital property can be resolved without going to court. As court dockets have become more and more congested, there has been a greater focus in Texas on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods such as mediation. Mediation is a process in which a third-party neutral, whether one mediator or more, acts as a facilitator to help resolve a dispute between two or more parties. It is a non-adversarial approach to conflict resolution, where the parties generally communicate directly. The role of the mediator is to facilitate communication between the parties, assist them in focusing on the real issues of the dispute, and generate options for settlement.

ADR provides a valuable option for those who prefer to stay out of court and has many potential advantages for families, including:

• Control over the results
• Efficient resolution
• Flexibility with rules and procedures
• Less emotional stress
• Reduced cost

The family law lawyers at Parker & Montgomery focus a substantial portion of their family law practice in the areas of mediation and ADR. We have devoted a substantial amount of time to continuing education and advanced training, and our mediation experience often allows parties to resolve their disputes in a cost effective, efficient, amicable manner. For further information about mediation, please contact us today.