Absolutely. Our office is experienced in keeping families out of Court by using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes of mediation and collaborative divorce. Using an alternative dispute process is voluntary, meaning both parties must want to pursue an out-of-Court agreement.
Preparing for public Court hearings are often expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. Over 90% of all family law cases eventually settle without a Court trial. After years of seeing the pitfalls families face in litigation, Ms. Stednitz has devoted a large section of her practice to keeping families out of Court by advising families about California’s legal framework in family law cases so the parties can create a legally enforceable agreement (called a judgment) that is tailored to their unique family dynamics.
Plus, many families return to Court a few years after their family law case is brought to judgment because circumstances have changed and one party want to modify existing orders. The most expensive and stressful cases often involve a “rotating door” of pre-trial or post-judgment modification hearings in Court. By failing to address and work through the root cause of the conflict, families are often set up for a rotating door of litigation. Using an ADR process from the outset gives families the best framework for staying out of Court both after the initial separation occurs and years after the case has been brought to judgment. Again, an ADR process requires both parties to voluntarily participate in good faith; otherwise, setting a Court hearing is generally the only other route to obtaining enforceable Court orders.