Divorce Mediation in Santa Cruz County| Family Law Attorney

Divorce is stressful enough. Work with top divorce mediators Dina & Samira to take control of your case in Santa Cruz County, Ca offering the most comprehensive divorce mediation services.

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Divorce Mediation in Santa Cruz County, California

Divorce mediation is an alternative dispute resolution method for couples seeking fair, effective, and inexpensive divorce compared to divorce litigation in Santa Cruz. Mediation comes with reduced emotional trauma than a traditional court divorce. Mediated divorce is a collaborative process, which creates better co-parenting opportunities for spouses after divorce.

Unlike court proceedings, mediation is a confidential process. Mediators who are third-party professionals help couples reach a fair outcome by facilitating communication. They resolve all issues about divorce, including child custody, child and spousal support, future support modifications, and debts and property division.

If you are considering mediation, consider FamiliesFirstMediation mediators, who have 20 years of experience in Santa Cruz divorce mediation and family law. Families First Mediation mediators strive to put you in control of your divorce. They believe a successful mediated divorce results in a quality, long-lasting agreement. They offer a free initial consultation, which they use to get to know you and your concerns and provide you with a plan for your divorce success.

This blog discusses mediation and the advantages and disadvantages of mediation in Santa Cruz.

Pros of Santa Cruz Divorce Mediation:

The following benefits show how mediation is advantageous to spouses in Santa Cruz.

Cost Effective and Time Saving

Mediation in Santa Cruz is more inexpensive than other divorcing options. It costs around $3,500 to $15,000 plus, including the court’s filing fee and the mediator’s all-session fee. Both spouses can split up this mediator’s fee and pay their share. While In traditional court divorces, the entire cost of litigated divorce may range from $30,000 to $100,000 per party. Each party hires their attorney and pays separately, adding more costs to the divorce process.
Mediated divorces are time-friendly, and you can get the final judgment in just months, with usually 4-6 mediation sessions. However, litigated divorces take at least a year for more straightforward cases and more than two years for complex cases

More Control of the Outcome

In mediation, both spouses make decisions regarding their marriage. The mediator neither imposes a decision nor expresses an opinion regarding the process; her role is to facilitate communication.
However, in traditional divorce, a judge decides for you, your children, and assets. The judge makes the decision (while keeping you less familiar with what is going to happen). The courts have big caseloads, and they may not understand your circumstances the way you can for yourself (in mediation)

Flexible schedule and customized solutions

You set your pace, time, and schedule in mediation, making it more convenient and casual, unlike court battles in which you get the hearing dates as per the (busy) court’s schedule.
Divorce mediation offers both parties more customized solutions tailored to their goals and specific family needs.

Better Post Divorce Relationship and Stability

Mediation leads to better post-divorce relations between the spouses as they reach a marital settlement agreement through a collaborative approach. However, in a contested divorce case, you spend years battling in the courthouse, which has less follow-through and may require divorce judgment modification in the future. Therefore, you are less likely to be on terms with your spouse in a traditional divorce, and smooth co-parenting becomes the dream.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Mediation offers more privacy and confidentiality than court-driven divorces. No one sits behind and records your mediation sessions. A mediator doesn’t disclose information to anyone. This feature has many celebrity couples and public profiles choosing to mediate their matters to keep them private. . Also, many laws in California protect the confidentiality of (private) mediation.

LEARN ALL ABOUT MEDIATORS

Meet Your Future Mediation Team

Dina Haddad, Esq.

Principal & Founder Attorney-Mediator

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.

She has practiced family law in both Southern and Northern California, at some of the most prestigious law firms. She completed post-doctorate law degree in mediation, a Masters in Law in Alternate Dispute Resolution from the premier Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. For more than 9 consecutive years, Straus was ranked the number one dispute resolution program by U.S. News and World Report. Straus received this honor again for 2018. Very few mediators, particularly in family law, have this unique training.

Phone Number:

(408) 357-3486

Email:

[email protected]

Samira Amato, Esq.

Divorce Attorney-Mediator

Deborah Yamashiro

Senior Paralegal

Elizabeth Stephens

Financial Mediator

Katherine Pearson

Case Manager & Paralegal

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.

Cons of Divorce Mediation in Santa Cruz:

The following benefits show how mediation is advantageous to spouses in Santa Cruz.

Not Workable for Couples Having Power Imbalance Issues

Mediation is based upon open dialogue and collaboration between couples. However, if one spouse in the mediation tries to dominate over the other, it will disrupt the level playing field and fairness of the entire process. In such a scenario, where one partner denies cooperation, consider a traditional court case. The court may have to step in and may the decisions on your matter.

Not Suitable For High Contested and Complex Cases

Mediation may not be suitable for highly contested divorces. Likewise, cases involving domestic violence and abuse may limit mediation to work because the victim spouse may not freely express concerns due to threats or coercion of the other spouse.
Likely, cases of complex finances (hidden assets, complex business ownership, etc.) may not be suitable for mediation if one spouse is not disclosing the right information.

Expected Cost of Mediation in Santa Cruz

Our Families First Mediation Mediators in Los Angeles, CA, have helped thousands of couples agree on the specific terms of their divorces. “Families First Mediation ” Mediators have saved spouses from costly litigation with customized strategies suited to their family’s needs.

Following are the Services of Families First Mediation Mediators:

Looking For An Experienced Divorce Mediator?

Looking For Experienced Divorce Mediator?

See What Our Clients Say About Us

"I heard so many great feedbacks about Families First Mediation so I was eager to sign up to overcome my fears about going through my divorce...."

"Dina and her team are amazing. They guided us through this most difficult time in our lives with ease and proficiency...."

"Working with Families First Mediation Group was such a positive and reassuring experience. From the very first conversation...."

"Samira and FFM guided us through our divorce while navigating a fairly complex (non-standard) living and parenting plan...."

"Families First Mediation recently helped my ex and I navigate the dissolution of our marriage....."

"Dina is not only incredibly knowledgeable—she is so much more than just a mediator. She is a rare and special person who brings light to your path...."

"Dina Haddad and Families First made a difficult process so much easier for us. For families with complex situations, Dina is the perfect choice..."

"Very good experience. Dina knows how to get everyone on the same page while keeping both parties on friendly terms..........."

"We like the way Dina Haddad and Families First Mediation made the well-being of our kids their top priority. They guided us through......."

"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......"

“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..."

"I highly recommend Dina and Deborah at Families First Mediation. Dina is awesome she helped guide us from beginning to the end through...."

"Dina is very knowledgeable both in terms of the divorce laws and accounting. She is a great listener and amazing in finding a solution...."

"Families First really helped make a difficult process seamless and helped us keep our friendship intact. Thanks to Dina and Deborah, we were able ...."

"Dina and Deborah helped us maintain our MSA, even years later, with the same kindness and professionalism as the first time we all..."

"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....."

"While this process can be full of emotion and never easy, Dina showed excellent professionalism and compassion during ....."

"For anyone out there navigating the legal complexities and emotional fallout of a divorce with children involved, I’d recommend Dina...."

"The transition out of marriage has been difficult and emotional. Dina has shown excellent professionalism throughout the process......"

"Dina and the team at Families First Mediation were not only highly professional, but they were also very personal and extremely helpful throughout the entire process..."

Learn more about Divorce Mediation and how it can help your family

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.

Why is mediation better than the traditional divorce in Santa Cruz?

The differences between mediation and lawyer-driven divorce are as follows:

Time: Mediation takes 3-6 months (4-6 sessions) to reach a fair settlement in Santa Cruz. While a lawyer-driven divorce can take around 12 to 36 months.
Money: Mediation is inexpensive, with total pricing from $5,000 to $15,000 in California. On the other hand, divorce through a lawyer costs around $30,000 to $100,000 per person.
Adversarial Nature: A mediator helps spouses settle divorce issues, and she does not advocate for either divorcing party. However, in a lawyer-driven divorce, each party has their lawyer arguing back and forth, making it adversarial.

How much does divorce mediation cost in Santa Cruz, California?

The cost of mediation in Santa Cruz depends upon the mediator’s billing structures and other factors (case complexities, mediator’s experience, etc.). Some mediators have flat fee packages, while others use hourly or hybrid models. In California, each party has a court filing fee of $435. The mediation expenses may range from a few thousand dollars to $15,000 plus. Let’s have a glimpse of the fees of mediators:

Hourly billing Method: Mediators in Santa Cruz may charge around $200 to $650 per hour (excluding other factors) for their mediation services.
Flat Fee Packages: Mediators have varying fees depending upon the case complexities and experience. In Santa Cruz, mediators usually charge around $3,500 to $15,000, including all fees

What is the difference between court ordered and private mediation?

The courts sponsor the court-ordered mediation as an alternative to litigation or before proceeding with the case. While private mediation is a private process and divorcing couples initiate it voluntarily.
In court-sponsored mediation, the court decides the mediator. However, in a mediated divorce, couples decide on a mediator, making the process more flexible.
The mediator from court-ordered mediation submits reports to the court regarding the entire sponsored mediation process. However, in private mediation, mediation experts don’t have to submit the report of sessions to a court.