Wichita Alternative Dispute Resolution Attorneys 

Kansas lawyers pursue mediation and domestic conciliation of difficult family law issues

Divorce raises important and sensitive issues concerning the spouses’ children, property and future obligations. Taking the case to court can be expensive and drawn out and can leave both sides dissatisfied with the result. Fortunately, there are alternative dispute resolution methods available, such as mediation and domestic conciliation, to avoid some of this difficulty. The divorce attorneys at Peggs Wheeler, LC in Wichita are experienced in using alternative dispute resolution to help resolve some or all divorce issues outside of court.

Mediation

In mediation, a trained neutral person helps the parties resolve their differences and reach a settlement. The mediator’s role is to facilitate discussion, encourage compromise and help the parties come to a mutual agreement. The mediation begins with a joint meeting at which the mediator encourages each party to be reasonable and allows each party to present their side of the dispute. The mediator may then meet privately with each party to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their positions and move back and forth between them, exchanging their respective settlement offers. The advantages of mediation include cost-effectiveness, confidentiality and an increased likelihood that the parties will maintain an amicable relationship after the divorce, the last of which can be particularly important if you and your spouse have children together. We can discuss the benefits and process of mediation in more detail and represent you if you and your spouse are willing to opt for this remedy.

Domestic Conciliation

In a divorce domestic conciliation, a neutral third party is chosen by the parties or the Court, and that person has been trained in accord with the Court’s requirements.  The Domestic Conciliator will meet with the parties and attempt to mediate some or all of the issues related to child custody and parenting.  For any issues that the parties do not reach mutual agreement on, the Domestic Conciliator will then conduct an investigation, through review of documents provided by the parties or their counsel, and interviews of the parties, significant others, or other persons relevant to the issues.  At the conclusion of the investigation, the Domestic Conciliator will issue a report and recommendation to the parties, their counsel and the Court.  

Choosing between mediation and domestic conciliation

Depending on their circumstances, spouses may find that one or the other of these two methods is more advantageous. If you and your spouse have an amicable relationship or are at least willing to compromise with each other, but want to remain in control of the result, mediation is the better option. If you don’t think you can negotiate an adequate solution, domestic conciliation may be the better choice, because it will offer a thorough report and recommendation to assist in streamlining the unresolved issues before a final settlement or trial.

Contact our alternative dispute resolution family law firm

Peggs Wheeler, LC in Wichita, Kansas helps divorcing spouses pursue mediation and domestic conciliation to resolve divorce and other family law issues. For personal attention to all of your most pressing concerns, Call 316-512-7853 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.