Your lawyer can advise you what to expect if you take your case to court. Your lawyer can also review the agreement you reach through mediation to ensure that everything is covered, and that you fully understood it. You do not need a lawyer before you can have a successful mediation, but it is often helpful to discuss your case with a lawyer before the mediation to avoid misunderstandings and to have an idea of what would be reasonable. If the other party handled your business or finances, it's a good idea to discuss the case with a lawyer before mediation. Your mediator will expect you to take the final agreement to a lawyer before you sign.
Courts encourage people to settle their own cases.
With the backlog of cases most courts experience today, having a court decide your case can be slow and frustrating. A mediated agreement is a legally binding contract which can be enforced by a court. If you agree to divorce, for example, the agreement is included as part of the court's order. We accept Visa and Mastercard. Some cases are finished in two or three hours, while others take much longer.