The Huffington Post June 20, 2011 Howard H. Irving, Ph.D What do people in business do when they're facing a crisis? They ask, "What's the best practice to follow in a situation like this? What do successful companies do?" Our society would benefit greatly if divorcing parents could be convinced to ask, "What's the best practice now that our marriage is over? What have others done in our situation? What dangers should we avoid? What path … [Read more...]
Mandatory Mediation Introduced in the UK for all Divorcing Couples
Divorcing couples to go through mediation before court BBC News 23 February 2011 Divorcing couples will be referred to mediation to sort out most disputes before they are allowed to use the courts, the government has announced. Justice Minister Jonathan Djanogly said mediation was "a quicker, cheaper and more amicable alternative" to the over-worked family courts. The measures for England and Wales, focused on child custody and financial … [Read more...]
Family Mediation – How it works in Practice. (Part 2)
How does Family Mediation work in practice. Family Mediation is assisted negotiation wherein the Mediator is a neutral third party who will neither take sides nor give legal advice - s/he will endeavour to guide and facilitate the parties in coming to their own agreement. Family Mediation is structured but flexible and not overly formal; it is voluntary and there are no sanctions in the event of an agreement not being concluded; it is totally … [Read more...]
Family Mediation – A Better Approach. (Part 1)
The reactions of practitioners who have attended our Advocacy Courses for Practitioners in relation to the use of Family Mediation in Family Law disputes has been interesting. Some feel that the Family Mediation processes naturally lend themselves to resolution of the various issues that arise in Separation or Divorce - and/or to these various issues separately, like maintenance, access etc. Others feel that the mediation techniques - patently … [Read more...]
Too many children suffer in divorce courts:We need more mediation
The Guardian 19 November 2009 Jane Robey The emotional strain of family breakdown will never be solved by lawyers alone you report that "the distress experienced by children whose parents are divorcing is cause for increasing concern" and that "the rising number of cases puts a further burden on the struggling family court system" (Rise in divorce actions puts extra strain on children, solicitors warn, 9 November). Sandra Davies, a partner at … [Read more...]