Mediation & Settling Outside Court
Should Your Child Sit In on Mediation?
Should your child sit in on custody mediation? Why the room is built for adults, how a child's voice can be heard safely, and what to tell them afterward.
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
12 articles
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
When Mediation Doesn’t Settle: What the Child Needs Next
Sometimes both parents show up, talk for hours, and still walk out without a signed plan. That is not a personal failure and it is not a signal to put the
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
Shuttle Mediation When You Cannot Sit in the Same Room
Separate rooms, a mediator walking between you, a written plan the child can live with. For families who cannot share a table.
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
What Kids Need You to Agree On in Mediation
Settle the child’s week first — school, doctors, bedtime, holidays, how you will talk — before you fight over legal labels.
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
How Much Does Child Custody Mediation Cost?
Custody mediation can be free through the court, sliding-scale, or $100 to $500 an hour privately. Learn what drives the cost and what you get.
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
What Happens if You Miss Child Custody Mediation?
Missing custody mediation can mean a no-show report, lost input on your plan, or sanctions. Learn what courts do and how to fix a missed session.
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
Five Tips for an Amicable Divorce When You Have Kids
Five steps for an amicable divorce with kids: settle parenting first, pick a process outside court, learn the money rules, and keep messages civil.
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
Does a Custody Mediator Have to Be an Attorney?
Find out whether a child custody mediator must be a lawyer, what state rules require, and why even a lawyer-mediator can't act as your attorney.
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
How to Use Child Custody Mediation Well
Child custody mediation can be a challenging process for parents who are going through a divorce or separation. It is a time when emotions are high, and both parties may feel like…
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
How to Prepare for Child Custody Mediation
Learn your state's mediation rules, who will be in the room, and how to bring a specific custody schedule and the documents that support it.
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
Child Custody Mediation vs Going to Court
Compare custody mediation and going to court: how each works, what it costs, how long it takes, and when you need a judge.
Mediation & Settling Outside Court
Child Custody Agreement Without Court (All You Need to Know)
Learn how parents can settle custody without a trial, what a judge checks before signing, and why a notary alone won't make your agreement enforceable.