Seattle Family Law: Mediating the Terms of your Divorce

Seattle family law cases are governed by the rules of King County Superior Court. Under those rules, parties must attempt to mediate before going to trial. A family law mediation usually takes place at the office of a third-party, neutral Seattle family law attorney with whom the parties contract to help resolve the issues of their case. This attorney must be experienced in the nuances of Seattle family law so that he or she may advise each side as to how a judge is likely to rule if the case went to trial. The parties usually remain separate from each other during the mediation, and the mediator travels back and forth between each party’s station with offers and counter-offers from each side.

Not all counties in Washington State require mediation. Nevertheless, it is generally a good idea to at least attempt mediation before incurring the stress and expense of trial. Paying a Seattle family law lawyer to appear at trial can be very costly, and court trials are quite stressful. Furthermore, when parties separate, there is usually already a lot of stress in the relationship. The parties do not make good decisions about one another and sometimes hold onto animosity that keeps them from making agreements. Unfortunately, this stalemate can lead to less than desirable consequences, and your lawyer will have to charge you to argue for you in court.

However, it is also not wise to jump to settlement too soon. Often parties in Seattle family law disputes “just want things to be over” and will settle before making an informed decision. The Seattle family law attorneys at McKinley Irvin can help you assess your divorce case and help you get it resolved in a way that is fair to all parties. Our Seattle child custody, divorce, modification, and adoption lawyers understand the emotional challenges of divorce and can help you by being a clear thinker during an unclear time. Give us a call and come in for a consultation on your Seattle family law case today because divorce doesn’t have to be a nightmare.