The time that you and your spouse live apart does not start to count for the one year required to use separation as grounds for divorce until the agreement is signed. Mediation is a process of settling a dispute without going to court. You and your spouse meet with a neutral person who will help you to make decisions about your legal matter. The mediator facilitates the discussion, but has no power to make a decision. The result is a written agreement which may become a legal Separation Agreement or could be read into a court record and incorporated into an order signed by the judge.
Mediators charge by the hour.
There is an additional cost for preparation of the agreement. Mediation can be used at any stage of a divorce or Family Court proceeding. You can use mediation to resolve all the issues in a divorce or only one issue such as the parenting schedule. Mediation is especially useful in cases where you want to preserve a relationship with the other spouse or parent. It allows you to separate while maintaining an amicable relationship for the sake of your children.