Family Law Mediation and Facilitation

Many people do not want a prolonged fight and have reached the conclusion that the most reasonable path is to seek an amicable solution. They do not want to punish or disparage one another. Parents also may not want to squander their children’s future inheritance on legal fees.

At the law offices of Atkinson & Kelsey, we recognize our clients’ wishes for an amicable, or at least manageable, result. We guide these clients through the mediation process. The advantages of mediation over traditional courtroom litigation quickly become obvious: by comparison with a courtroom battle, mediation is quick, inexpensive and more likely to be accepted as fair. Several New Mexico district courts require mediation before allowing parties to proceed to trial.

The Benefits Of Mediation

The advantages of mediation over litigation are clear:

• It is often quicker and more efficient. You don’t have to wait in line for court appearances.
• It can be more cost-effective. Because it takes less time, your legal fees are often reduced.
• It is customized to your family’s unique circumstances. When you go to court, you put the decision in the hands of a judge. The judge doesn’t know you. The judge doesn’t know the facts like you do. The decision may very well be something that neither you nor the other party desires. On the other hand, mediation allows the two of you to work together to reach a mutually agreeable outcome.
• It is private. Your private family business does not need to become part of a public record.

In addition to having a lawyer from our firm on your side, you will work with a mediator to create a cooperative resolution. If your relationship will continue through co-parenting, the mediation process can help you and the other party establish new, constructive and civil ways of relating to each other for the benefit of the children.

In addition to mediation, our law firm offers collaborative law services . This is a similar process in that it allows both parties to work together to arrive at a mutually acceptable settlement agreement. Our lawyers will explain the differences between traditional divorce litigation, mediation and collaborative law to help determine which is right for you.

Often the court appoints our attorneys to serve as a mediator. Customized settlement facilitation through mediation or collaborative law is one of our strong suits. We encourage working-class couples, high net worth couples, military families and same-sex families to consider a mediated approach to dispute resolution.

Mediation is an attractive alternative to litigation. Call the mediation lawyers at Atkinson & Kelsey at 505-883-3070 or write us using this online form.