Audrey is listed as a Rule 31 qualified Family Mediator and has been trained to serve as a neutral mediator.
Your FAMILY MATTERS! Mediation is a way for the parties to find a solution to resolve issues such as division of marital assets and debts, parenting time and child support, and alimony or family support. The mediator is an objective third party whose job is to assist the parties in reaching a resolution to the divorce or family law issues at hand. The parties are in separate rooms and the mediator alternates between the two rooms working with the parties to reach a resolution.
Litigation can be emotionally and financially devastating. Your FAMILY MATTERS! Mediation has advantages. First, parties can resolve their issues relatively quicker than working through what can sometimes be a lengthy protracted litigation process that is some cases can go on for over a year, or more. Next, the cost of mediation can be far less than participating in a drawn out court battle that can literally cost the parties thousands of dollars. Most importantly, when parties mediate they have complete control over the outcome of their case because the parties are the ones actually making the decisions as opposed to the Judge making all of the decisions regarding their family.
It can be difficult understanding the Tennessee laws and the seemingly complex forms that are necessary in order to resolve a legal issue. The agreement reached in mediation will be put into writing in the correct form that can be filed with the Court and presented to the Judge to become a Final Order of the Court. In essence, the Judge is signing your written agreement to settle your case the way you choose as an Order of the Court.
In the event you are not able to reach an agreement during your mediation session, you can still take the issues to the Judge in your case for a decision. When that happens, the negotiations and discussions you made in your attempt to settle your case, that were part of your mediation session, are not admissible in the Court. Any offers and compromises of settlement that you may have been willing to agree to during a mediation session are not to be presented to the Court in any way.
In Tennessee attendance at mediation is required by statute before you are able to obtain a final hearing date in divorce cases. Mediation is also required in post divorce cases with respect to modification of Permanent Parenting Plans. Sometimes parties also choose to mediate when they have juvenile court matters such as paternity and child support issues.
Your FAMILY MATTERS … mediate!