Benefits of Online Family or Divorce Mediation

Over the past decade, and particularly over the past year, there has been a trend towards more of our businesses and lives occurring remotely online. Legal communication and proceedings are no exception.

Today, we can conduct online family or divorce mediation that allows parties to participate in the mediation from anywhere through the use of video technology. The following are some of the benefits of online family or divorce mediation.

Mediation Benefits

Online family or divorce mediation offers all the same core benefits as in-person mediation. Mediation, in general, is typically quicker and less expensive than having to go through court hearings and trials. During the mediation process, a third-party mediator helps cool the emotional temperature between the parties, and reach an agreed-upon decision that usually achieves satisfaction from both parties.

Logistical Ease

Technology makes sharing information during online family or divorce mediation even easier than it is in person. When a party, attorney, or mediator wants to share a document or other visual, they can simply share their screen to allow all others to view it at the same time. This form of sharing information helps improve comprehension and focus and saves time over having to shuffle around documents.

Similarly, online mediation makes it easier to go back and forth between different arrangements without having to physically move. For example, a moderator can mute or separate parties using video technology without forcing people to get up and change rooms, as in traditional mediation. It also makes scheduling easier because parties do not need to be in the same location, or even city, to participate in online mediation.

Emotional Benefits

Family and divorce mediation often involve intense issues that naturally bring up strong emotions. Being in the same room as the other party involved, as in traditional mediation, can be emotionally difficult and raise stress levels.

Participants often find that the physical distance provided through online mediation decreases the emotional stress involved and makes calm communication flow more easily. Additionally, since the parties are not in the same physical location, there is no chance of an awkward unwanted parking lot or waiting room run-in.

Convenience

One of the most common pieces of positive feedback parties give about online mediation is that it is incredibly convenient. Parties can pick a mutually agreeable time and then log in to the mediation from anywhere with internet service.

Online mediation allows each person to select a location that is private and comfortable to them. People are often more at ease in their own surroundings than in an office or conference room where in-person mediations often occur. And because there is no need to travel to offices, the headache, time, and expense of planning travel and obtaining child care are completely removed. This has the added benefit of reducing the cost of mediation to those involved.

At The Law Firm of Erin N. Birt, P.C., we offer online family and divorce mediation as well as online legal consultations. To learn more, contact us today.

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