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Phone: 561-530-4568
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Delray Beach, Florida 33445
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500 Village square crossing, #103 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Grant J. Gisondo, P.A. – Family Law Attorney

Mediation

Divorce Mediation in Florida

Is It Right for You? Many couples find the idea of lengthy court battles overwhelming when going through a divorce. Fortunately, Florida offers an alternative to traditional litigation: divorce mediation. Mediation, with the help of a neutral third party, offers a more amicable and cost-effective solution, bringing a sense of relief to the often stressful process of divorce. But is mediation the right option for you? In this post, we'll explore the pros and cons of divorce mediation in Florida, how the process works, and when it might be an appropriate alternative to litigation. What Is Divorce Mediation? Divorce mediation is a form...

The Role of Mediation in Florida Family Law Cases

At Gisando Law in Palm Beach, FL, we understand that family law disputes can be emotionally charged and complex. When it comes to resolving these disputes, mediation has emerged as a highly effective alternative to traditional litigation. In this blog post, we'll explore the role of mediation in Florida family law cases, highlighting its advantages and effectiveness in fostering amicable resolutions while reducing litigation costs. What is Mediation? Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in which a neutral third party, known as a mediator, facilitates communication and negotiation between parties to help them reach a mutually acceptable agreement. Unlike...

The Role of Mediation in Post-Judgment Modifications: Resolving Disputes Amicably and Efficiently

In the realm of family law, legal judgments are rarely set in stone. Circumstances change, and what worked at the time of a divorce or child custody ruling may no longer be suitable for the parties involved. This is where post-judgment modifications come into play, allowing individuals to seek changes to court orders regarding matters such as child custody, visitation, spousal support, and child support. While litigation is one way to address these modifications, mediation has emerged as a more amicable and efficient alternative. In this blog, we will explore the role of mediation in post-judgment modifications and how it...

The Benefits of Mediation for Divorce

The dissolution of a marriage is one of the most difficult and emotionally charged periods in a person’s life, and the process of divorce can be incredibly taxing for everyone involved. However, there is another, less stressful option for resolving the issues associated with ending a marriage. Mediation for divorce is becoming increasingly popular among couples who want to avoid an expensive and lengthy court battle. Here are just a few of the benefits of mediation for divorce. Additionally, many states require mediation of a divorce case before a court date can be set. Cost Savings: When couples are able...

What Happens in Divorce Mediation in Florida

Divorce mediation in Florida is extremely common as most jurisdictions require a couple to attend mediation for a divorce before a court date can be set. Mediation is a meeting of both parties and their legal professional(s) with a mediator who will guide the proceedings by helping to keep emotions calm and finding ways to a possible resolution or compromising of the issues regarding the divorce or dissolution of marriage as it is now termed. If all areas of the divorce, including alimony, child support, parental timesharing, parenting plan, and equitable distribution of marital assets and liabilities, are agreed upon,...

Tips To Manage Stress During a Divorce

Going through a divorce is rarely easy and never without stress. Even when both parties want the divorce and there are no children involved, there will be stress. Stress can come in many ways, including the disagreements as to who gets what, from the delay in the time it takes to complete all the necessary steps to a final decree, to emotional heartbreak, to trying to figure out how life will be when the divorce is over. Most couples had hoped for a “forever after” on their wedding day, and just the realization that their marriage didn’t make it is...

Tips For Dealing with the Stress of a Divorce

It is highly unlikely anyone would find going through a divorce to be relatively stress-free. In fact, going through a divorce is usually extremely stressful, often resulting in sleepless nights, weight loss, emotional outbursts, feeling of abandonment, and a sense of loss, particularly loss of self-esteem. While there is no magic pill or potion one can take to eliminate stress, there are a number of ways to combat the stress and often take stress down to a reasonable level. Here are ten suggestions that may help you: Try to work your marital issues out in mediation and create a marital...

Florida Bars Board Certification Part 2

How does the Board Certification of a lawyer help the client? As mentioned in part one of the blog Florida's Bar Board Certification, in l982, a voluntary program to help the public select lawyers distinguished in their special area of law was organized to be officiated by the Florida Supreme Court and administered by the Florida Bar. The certification has become the gold standard for lawyers. It gives prospective clients the assurance a board-certified lawyer has gained expertise in their chosen area of law and a high-performance rating in ethical practice and professionalism. All this sounds impressive, but how does board...

Florida Bars Board Certification Part 1

Description of the program and what it means to be Board Certified. For many years there was no way for the public to select lawyers distinguished in their particular area of law. Then, in l982, a voluntary program officiated by the Florida Supreme Court and administered by The Florida Bar was created called Board Certification. A lawyer must be in active practice for at least five years, be in good standing of the Florida Bar, and meet the standards subscribed by the Florida Supreme Court before he or she can begin the process of becoming board-certified in their area of practice....

Florida is an Equitable Distribution State. What Does That Mean?

One of the most difficult issues to mediate or for a judge to rule on is the division of assets and liabilities. In other words, how will marital monies, properties, businesses, and debts be divided between the two spouses? In some states, Oregon, Nevada, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Louisianna, all assets and liabilities coming under the heading of “marital” that are obtained since the marriage will be divided evenly or, as often termed, equally. These states are sometimes referred to as common property states. All the rest of the states (except Alaska, where a couple can...

Mediation can be a Win, Win for Both Parties

In many states, including Florida, mediation is required for most cases before the case can be scheduled for a court date. This is done for a variety of reasons which, in the end, if mediation is successful, can be a win, win for both parties. Mediation is where both parties and their attorneys try to agree on the outcome of the case in question. A trained mediator, often an attorney, will keep the conversations on track and remind the parties how important it is to seriously consider compromise in order to resolve the issues. Taking a look, for example, at...

How Does Successful Mediation Cut Costs and Give You Control of Your Divorce?

The definition of mediation is a process in which a mediator, that is a trained, neutral third person, works with a couple and their attorneys to create a mutually acceptable agreement termed a marital settlement through a process of cooperation and negotiation. Saving money and keeping control are two aspects of a divorce case that most couples would like to take advantage of. Today’s high costs for a good attorney and the uncertainty of how a judge will rule on such issues as alimony, distribution of marital assets and liabilities, and the future care and support of minor children are a...

Can We Settle the Case Without Attending Mediation?

For a direct answer to the question, “Can we settle the case without attending mediation?” the answer is “yes.” Mediation, according to The Free Dictionary by Farlex, is “a settlement of a dispute or controversy by setting up an independent person between two contending parties in order to aid them in the settlement of their disagreements” For example, mediation is used in Family Law for such cases as dissolution of marriage (divorce), child support, parental timesharing, parenting plan, and modification of alimony, child support, and parental timesharing and parenting plan. In fact, in some states such as Florida, mediation is...

Must We Attend Mediation?

Must we attend mediation? If you live in the state of Florida and plan to divorce (dissolution of marriage), have a minor child (child under the age of l8 or a child who is unable to provide and care for him or herself) and are looking to set child support and or timesharing including developing a parenting plan, or are needing to return to court for modification of alimony, child support, or timesharing and the parenting plan, you will need to attend mediation before setting a court date. This is true in almost every Florida jurisdiction. Why does Florida lean so...

Part 3 – How the Mediation Program of the 19th Judicial Court in Florida Works

As was pointed out in the first and second part of this series, mediation is used frequently in Florida to try to resolve Family Court matters including dissolution of marriage, (divorce), child support and shared parenting, including developing a parenting plan, (child custody) and post judgment modification for alimony, child support and parenting plans. There are, as noted, many advantages to successfully arriving at a signed settlement, benefiting the court, the couple, and the children. But what should a person who is ordered to attend mediation expect?  In Florida’s l9th Judicial Circuit, here is how it works. When you receive...

Part 2 – What Reasons make Mediation such a good idea for Family Legal Actions involving both Adults and Minor Children?

As pointed out in part 1 of this series, most jurisdictions in Florida require a mediation before a court date can be set for a dissolution of marriage (divorce), setting of child support and developing a parenting plan for parental timesharing for unmarried parents, and for post-judgment modification of alimony, child support, and parenting plans. While at first, this may seem unnecessary there are many good reasons Florida has found mediation an excellent precursor and even an alternative to a day in court.  For, if a couple can work out their differences themselves and come to an agreement in a...

Mediation in Florida, a 3 part series

Mediation, according to the Legal Dictionary law.com, is “the attempt to settle a legal dispute through active participation of a third party (mediator) who works to find points of agreement and make those in conflict agree on a fair result….However, mediation does not always result in a settlement.” As this implies, a mediator is a person trained in conflict management and someone who helps others reach a settlement regarding their opposing opinions. In Florida, most jurisdictions require a mediation prior to setting a court date for a dissolution of marriage (divorce), setting of child support which includes developing a parenting...

Choosing the Right Mediator

In Florida, most jurisdictions handling contested divorce (dissolution of marriage) require the case to go to mediation before it can be assigned a court hearing date to be heard by a judge. As mediation allows each party, with the help of their attorney, to hopefully be willing to compromise and work out a marital settlement agreement satisfactory to each, it is most important to select a mediator who will work diligently to try to have this happen. It is highly unlikely either party will get all the results they would like, but one of the advantages of a mediation is...

Knowing When to Settle and When Not to Settle

Settling, in the legal sense, refers to deciding that the outcomes desired to culminate a case, such as a divorce, have reached the place where no more can or should be done to litigate the issues under consideration. At this point, be it at mediation or in an attorney’s office, a settlement agreement will be executed then presented to the judge for scrutiny at a final hearing so that the Judge can turn the parties agreement into an order of the Court. It is highly unlikely either party will be 100% happy with the outcome but a settlement indicates both parties were willing to compromise and...

Negotiation in Mediation

Successful negotiation strategies First, it is important to understand what mediation is and what it is not. Legal mediation is a form of alternate dispute resolution where, through the participation of a third party termed a “mediator”, issues needing resolution are presented with the hope of coming to a settlement, making a court hearing unnecessary. While a mediator is not a judge and cannot forcibly resolve issues brought to the mediation table, he or she can facilitate compromise and guide the parties to a reasonable outcome. Studies show that, overall, mediation is faster and less costly than waiting and paying for...