There isn’t a blanket mandate for all divorcing couples to attempt mediation before moving to trial. However, some cases will qualify for a mandated mediation. For example, if there are significant disputes over child custody or a visitation schedule, the court will often require both parents to try and reach a solution privately in mediation to give parents more control over the outcome of their children and to protect a child’s exposure to any divorce publicity. However, mediation is not required in cases like domestic violence, where it would not be appropriate to have an alleged abuser negotiate with their victim.