The process of terminating a marriage in the state of Michigan always benefits from cooperation between two spouses. Sometimes, a couple may agree on the importance of creating a written agreement ending their relationship to present to the court but be unable to privately resolve disputes over such crucial areas as:
• Child custody arrangements
• Alimony payments
• Dividing mutually owned property
• Discharging mutually incurred debts
• Child support payments
• Visitation rights
Before beginning the legal process, some couples may seek out divorce mediation in Michigan to have this kind of document ready to present to the court. In other cases, a judge may order a couple whose issues seem easily resolvable to attempt mediation before proceeding to court. If you have been the victim of domestic abuse, you may request to be excused from participating in such sessions.
Unlike many states, Michigan does not have a single administrative body responsible for registering and keeping track of mediation specialists. Each court maintains its own list of qualified mediators that a couple may be referred to. Similarly, there are no state-wide standards established for these professionals.
Generally, someone who specializes in helping facilitate divorce mediation in Michigan must undergo 40 hours of training and have a degree in a relevant field, such as social work or counseling. Some mediators may be practicing attorneys, but this is not necessarily the case. If you are ordered to undergo divorce mediation in Michigan, you are entitled to question any practitioner about their educational background, experience and any other relevant concerns.
Prior to any initial situation, a mediator will try to gather as much background on both parties as possible. Generally, this will take the form of phone conversations. At this time, the mediator will enquire about which issues cannot be resolved, what a satisfactory outcome would be and gain a greater understanding of the negotiations which must be undertaken.
Before arriving at any session to begin divorce mediation in Michigan, both spouses should be clear on the form they would like these meetings to take. For some people, it will not be a problem to sit in the same room with their partner and discuss their issues with the help of just one mediator. In other cases, a co-mediator may be requested for gender balance or to provide specialized expertise. Some couples may not wish to be in the same room and may request to be sequestered in separate areas while a mediator travels back and forth between the two. If both spouses are not in the same city, mediation may take the form of a telephone conference.
Consenting to attempt divorce mediation in Michigan will minimize the cost of the procedure for most couples. As long as there is a mutual agreement to act in good faith and attempt to come up with a document to present to a judge for approval, the chances that either spouse will need to pay for the services of a private attorney will be greatly diminished.
