Best Sacramento Divorce Mediation Family law Attorney
Divorce is stressful enough. Work with top divorce mediators Dina & Samira to take control of your case in Sacramento, CA, offering the most comprehensive divorce mediation services.
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Sacramento Divorce Mediation Services, Legal Separation, or Custody Mediation
What is Divorce Mediation?
Divorce mediation in Sacramento is a conflict or dispute resolution process for couples who want a productive and fair divorce. Mediation has a collaborative nature, allowing both the divorcing spouses to control the final outcome per their divorce goals, rights, and interests. Divorce mediation involves qualified mediators who remain neutral and impartial to help couples reach a consensual settlement.
Spouses discuss important terms of divorce, which derive the outcome rather than a court or judge deciding for you. This is the most common option (under collaborative divorce) because of its non-adversarial nature, cost-effectiveness, and faster speed than a litigated divorce. Also, domestic partners who want to separate their ways can pursue divorce mediation.
Benefits of Divorce Mediation in Sacramento, CA
The following are the ways that make mediation advantageous to divorcing spouses.
Cost-effective and Time-Saving Process
Both spouses save much money and time through mediation compared to the high costs involved in traditional divorces. Divorce costs through litigations are around $30,000 – $100,000+ in Sacramento, which is a financial strain for both parties. However, economic costs through divorce mediation may range around $3500 – $15,000, proving it a more cost-effective strategy than a lawyer-driven divorce.
A successful completion of your mediation process in California may take around two to three months. In it, you don’t have to wait like the one in the court process. Moreover, the courts remain busy and getting a court date might take up to a year. Then, how many years will it take to end your marriage through litigation? What if your case has complex issues like child custody, marital assets division, and alimony? If you have read between the lines, then add more years in divorce through lengthy court hearings. Or pick mediation, get your divorce and issues done through coordination and save yourself from financial, emotional, and time.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Do you know that court hearings are part of the public record and that court is a public forum? But what about mediation? Are sessions in it also recorded and go public?
No, mediation is a private and highly confidential process because the information discussed and the agreement reached are not disclosed. Neither mediation is a part of the public domain. Moreover, there are many laws concerning mediation, confidentiality, privilege, and enforcement of agreements in Sacramento.
The mediator may ask both spouses to sign a confidential agreement before mediation. The purpose of a confidential agreement is that both parties and the mediator commit to keep the discussion and dialogue confidential.
Customized Solution and Flexibility (Scheduling)
Another added advantage of a mediated divorce is that it offers customized solutions and flexibility to the parties tailored to their goals and specific family needs. Mediators listen to couples and ensure solutions are well aligned to the particular family.
While in the courtroom, you may feel less personal, and you have to obey the court’s procedures and schedules in divorce litigation. On the other hand, mediation offers flexible scheduling, and both spouses can decide on the scheduled meeting at their convenience.
Post–Divorce Stability
Mediation is a collaborative process. Mediated agreements have been proven to have more follow through, requiring less modifications in the future. This saves the parties more money and time.
With contested divorces, parties may be upset and angry with one another after suffering through a litigated divorce battle. With mediation, parties have a higher satisfaction rate. This allows them the opportunity to work better as co-parents in the future.
Children First Approach
Divorce is difficult for children. Many children suffer from anxiety not knowing what is going to happen to their family. They may not know where they will be living, where the family home is going to be sold, or if they will have to change schools. Given litigation can take several years for the divorce to be finalized, litigation can impact children negatively. Fortunately, children are resilient.
If you’re contemplating divorce or in a divorce, and you have children, consider the benefits of mediation. In mediation, the divorce mediator equips you to successfully manage difficult conversations with the other parent. And, in doing so, they are able to resolve the custody issues faster.
Mediation allows the family to move forward with their agreements sooner. Children are able to maintain their routines, or have a better understanding of what the new routines will look like. In fact, if the parents mediate, it’s likely that they will share this information with the children together
Mediator Spotlight Dina Haddad
Dina is the founder and principal of Families First Mediation. Her mission is make A-class services available to clients at all socio-economic levels by providing her commitment to excellence at a fraction of the cost of traditional divorce options. Dina sits as a Judge Pro Tempore for the Personal Property Arbitration in Santa Clara County and is a family law mediator for the Agency for Dispute Resolution (ADR), a premier provider of private dispute resolution services with a selective panel of neutrals.
See What Our Clients Say About Us
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"Dina Haddad and Families First made a difficult process so much easier for us. For families with complex situations, Dina is the perfect choice. She has so many potential solutions at her fingertips and offers good advice while working through the choices. We were grateful to have found her and Families First."
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"Very good experience. Dina knows how to get everyone on the same page while keeping both parties on friendly terms. This was a very amicable resolution thanks to Dina. I would highly recommend anyone going through this versus hiring separate attorneys and ending on not so friendly terms. We are still friends and care for the welfare of each other, well worth it!"
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"We like the way Dina Haddad and Families First Mediation made the well-being of our kids their top priority. They guided us through what could have been a messy process, and looked out for the best interests of both of us. Dina and Deborah were easy to work with, and made our divorce much less stressful than it would have been if we had gone through opposing lawyers."
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"As much as you can love going through mediation and divorce, Dina H. is the one to help you come to a positive outcome. She has good ideas and alternatives that you may not think about with a traditional divorce. She is always fair and good at maintaining rules and boundaries. I would recommend her to anyone that has to go through this grueling process."
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“Divorce is never something you plan for and the complexity and legality of it is something most couples don’t know, understand or inquire about... Samira and Deborah are organized, professional, empathetic, knowledgeable, and efficient. They made the process simple and clear, ensuring both parties were satisfied. They answered and addressed all questions and concerns always being neutral. I’ll highly recommend it if you want to avoid the courtroom and save some headaches! Thank you Samira and Deborah!!!!”
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"I highly recommend Dina and Deborah at Families First Mediation. Dina is awesome she helped guide us from beginning to the end through this very hard and emotional process of Divorce. I loved her compassion towards our needs and looked out for the best interest of our family. This is one of the hardest and complicated things to go through and she made sure we understood everything answering all of our questions. We really appreciate all your help and how smoothly the whole process went Thank-you."
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"Dina is very knowledgeable both in terms of the divorce laws and accounting. She is a great listener and amazing in finding a solution that works for both parties. She has a very creative mind to resolve conflicts be it about child custody, scheduling or asset division."
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"Families First really helped make a difficult process seamless and helped us keep our friendship intact. Thanks to Dina and Deborah, we were able to look at everything honestly, openly, and together in a safe and friendly manner. They are wonderful!"
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"Dina and Deborah helped us maintain our MSA, even years later, with the same kindness and professionalism as the first time we all worked together. We've both come to trust FFM after both of us would independently check-in with our lawyers. Dina and FFM never failed to give us both fair and reasonable advice and direction."
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"I highly recommend Families First Mediation if you and your spouse are thinking about going separate ways. Dina and team are friendly, easy to work with, thorough, and responsive. They made a difficult transition seamless, which is not easy to do given the reason people go to see them in the first place. Dina always made sure to be fair to both of us in a gentle, yet poignant way. I wouldn't hesitate to use her services again should the need arise, and would highly recommend her to anyone!"
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"While this process can be full of emotion and never easy, Dina showed excellent professionalism and compassion during the entire process. We selected her after speaking with several mediators. She was thoughtful, thorough, and patient in explaining what to expect. Throughout the process, she explained the various pros and cons of each decision, made sure we understood the various details of each point, and was creative in finding alternative ways to reach solutions when necessary. Her suggestions were fair and she never pressured us into a decision until we were ready. I've already recommended her services to several other people and will continue to do so."
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"For anyone out there navigating the legal complexities and emotional fallout of a divorce with children involved, I’d recommend Dina and Families First Mediation without a shred of reservation. She was able to skillfully work with us in acknowledging the emotional ramifications with compassion, while always maintaining a fair-minded and focused approach throughout that kept the process moving. In the end, we arrived at an agreement that was in the best interest of all parties involved, without needing to set foot in a court room or throw thousands of dollars away in litigation. Thank you, Dina!"
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"The transition out of marriage has been difficult and emotional. Dina has shown excellent professionalism throughout the process. She has a warm sensitivity that allows both parties to see what is most beneficial for the family unit. I thank her for all her hard work and her quick email responses during this challenging time. Dina comes with quality legal experience and advocates for BOTH sides. Most of all, I am thankful that she has helped our family as a whole work through this. My children and my ex-husband can now move forward and rebuild our lives. Thank you Dina."
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Why Mediate My Divorce
Divorce Mediation is proven as the most effective approach for divorce. You stay in control of your divorce case and you make the decisions for you and your family, not a judge or lawyer. You also save money, paying for one impartial professional rather than multiple professionals with differing goals. Also, mediation takes far less time than any of the other available options.
We believe anyone can successfully mediate their divorce or legal separation. In fact, statistics show children do much better when parents mediate. We provide a customized process that allows couples to move quickly and successfully through their divorce process. We provide the legal knowledge you need to make the right decisions for you and your family. We take the complexity of divorce and make it simple.
Families First Mediation Process
1
Start A Divorce
We will prepare and file the Petition and Response for the divorce or legal separation for you. These papers start your divorce case.
2
Mediate An Agreement
You will meet with the attorney-mediator and your spouse in working sessions. On average, parties need 6 sessions. The attorney-mediator will help you understand the law and provide you options for property division, parenting and child and spousal support. Using that information, the attorney-mediator will guide you to an agreement. We are looking for results that you understand and work for you, each other, and your family - both today and for your future.
3
Complete Disclosures
For every divorce and legal separation, you must exchange and complete financial disclosures. We will guide you through them so they are exchanged and done correctly
4
Divorce Judgment
We will put your agreements together in a final agreement, known as an MSA. We submit this to court to become your divorce judgment.
F.A.Q
Virtual Sessions
Our mediation sessions are virtual. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, we offered virtual sessions and relied heavily on technology to offer the best services to our clients and keep their costs down. We rely on secure methods to share documents, online calendaring, electronic payment options and other useful integrations. Unlike other divorce practices, you won’t find charges on your invoice for us to file or print your documents to paper.
Divorce mediation costs in Sacramento, Ca, may vary depending upon many factors. For example, how many sessions your mediation may involve, the complexity of the issues involved, and the experience of mediators.
Of course, mediators with high experience and reputations charge more than the less experienced mediators. The complexities in your case, such as child custody and property division, may also affect mediation costs. Likewise, mediated divorce may involve additional expenses such as filing fees, document preparation, and financial advisor costs.
Also, some mediators charge on an hourly basis ($359– $700 per hour). While others may ask you to pay a flat fee for mediation services. So, you can begin your divorce mediation in Sacramento after you know the mediators’ experience, qualifications, and fees. Following are examples of flat fees in the divorce mediation process.
Some mediators offer a free initial consultation to learn about your situation and how mediation can prove helpful to the needs of divorcing couples. While other mediators may charge for providing their mediation services. You can ask for an initial consultation fee when contacting mediators. At Families First Mediation, we offer a free consultation with one of our divorce mediators.
The number of sessions required in your mediation process may depend upon the complexity of issues, emotional factors, legal complexities, information gathering, and experience of the mediator. Typically, our couples average 6 sessions.
Mediation is a dispute resolution method to reach an agreement between divorcing spouses. If both spouses disagree on specific terms in mediation, they must go through traditional litigation in family court.
Traditional litigation can have high costs, extended time (in court battles), and increased conflicts. Therefore, individuals dealing with divorce can follow these tips. The following are tips for individuals wanting a successful divorce mediation in Alameda, California.
• Take breaks when needed
• Decide your interests and priorities
• Come prepared and listen actively
• Choose an experienced and qualified mediator
• Try to compromise and reach a mutual agreement
• Gather important information (about assets, debts, and possessions)
• Stay honest and indulge in open communication during negotiations
• Keep personal emotions aside and stay calm during divorce negotiations
You can find a reputable divorce mediator in California by doing these steps:
● Search on Google or browse through online legal directories
● Reach out to Family attorneys In Sacramento and ask for referrals.
● Read and review the testimonials of mediators once you find them.
Yes, mediation in Sacramento addresses common issues like alimony and property division in the divorce process. Take a glimpse here!
Spousal Support: Mediators can help spouses discuss and negotiate essential terms such as alimony, payment duration, and other associated spousal support factors.
Property Division: Mediators also help the divorcing spouses discuss and negotiate property division. You know that California is a community property state, meaning that assets and debts acquired during the marriage will be divided equally between spouses. Mediators can consider different options for practicable property division and guide the divorcing couples to reach a consensual agreement and value assets. They may involve a financial divorce advisor if and when needed.