Finding a solution for custody and visitation with your child or children is often the most sensitive part of a divorce process. Mediation can help you determine custody, author the parenting plan, visitation and calculate child support as you move forward.
Mediation is also a practical complement to any work with your attorney. Keeping the conversation of custody separate from your other matters helps protect the best interest of your child or children. We’re always happy to collaborate with attorneys for the final details on your parenting plan, visitation and custody arrangements.
A clear parenting plan helps care for the unique needs of every child.
Mapping out the details for child custody rarely comes from one standard plan. The care concerns naturally vary from child to child—even with siblings. That’s why we have to craft a parenting plan that’s specific to each individual. Clothing is a given, but some children will require coverage for extracurricular activities, and others have special needs. We have to consider every factor.
Your parenting plan will include holiday and vacation scheduling, as well as day-to-day time sharing. We also need to review the arrangements for established child care and additional family contacts. Are there any safety concerns? Do we need to write a succession plan? Mediation lets us work through every component of custody in a smooth, structured environment.
Mediation gives you control over the custody details—instead of a judge.
Parents have utilized mediation for custody arrangements since the early 1980’s. Research continues to show that the process can reduce litigation, and some industry estimates show that a settlement is reached 60 to 70 percent of the time.
Moreover, when you go the route of mediation for your parenting plan, you’re opening the door to make decisions on your own. If both parties can work together, there’s a better chance that you can actually have a suitable outcome. Instead of letting a judge decide how much time you’ll spend with your child or children, it can be nice to come to the table together, avoid an adversarial process, and give everyone a voice.
Questions about custody? Mediation can help.
If both parties are open to mediation for child custody, the next step is to schedule a complimentary consultation. This one-hour meeting lets us discuss the mediation process in more detail and helps us explore whether mediation is right for you.
When you find a couple days and times that work for both of your schedules, please feel free to reach out. Call (208) 315-3322 or send a message to check the availability for your complimentary consultation. Then we can get all of your questions answered!