Only a properly executed settlement agreement which is the outcome of the mediation is binding. Studies show that families that mediate their differences have a substantially better after-divorce relationship than families that litigate their differences. Mediators use a variety of negotiating techniques to help spouses reach a mutually agreeable solution to their differences. The final decisions are the spouses', not the mediator's, because both have had a say in how to deal with the issues that are important to them. In divorce mediation, the couple controls how and when decisions get made, rather than attorneys and judges.
Mediation is far less expensive.
It can save a divorcing couple a lot of money. As you will see from the brief description of contested divorces below, adversarial trials get very expensive, what with the cost of attorneys, expert witnesses and time taken away from more positive pursuits. If you can successfully resolve all of the issues in your case, ranging from property division, to support, to custody, you will be many dollars ahead. Mediation, is not free. In a traditional court setting, trials can stretch for many months or even into years.