Divorce mediation is a way for couples to get divorced that is different from each of you getting a lawyer and battling it out in the court system. Both of you meet together with a neutral, impartial, trained mediator to come to a fair agreement on all the same issues you would address using divorce attorneys. These issues are parenting (child custody), division of marital assets and debts, child support, and/or spousal support (alimony). Divorcing couples make decisions for themselves by directly communicating with one another in private and keep control over their own divorce process. Mediation is faster and less expensive than litigation. Your divorce agreement can be reached quickly, saving you time and money.

Divorce mediation is a confidential, cooperative, non-adversarial process in which parties work together with a neutral mediator to create a divorce agreement that is fair and equitable to both sides. In divorce mediation, the couple is in the same room openly discussing all the issues with one another and reaching decisions, which helps save time and money, and improves the post-divorce relationship.

In divorce litigation, each party discusses each issue with their own divorce attorney. The lawyers then speak with one another. Each lawyer gets back to their client for more feedback and the entire process repeats over and over, about every issue. And there are a lot of issues to address in a divorce. This process can make divorce litigation take a very long time, get very expensive, and create a more combative, worse relationship.

Studies show that children suffer more in a high conflict divorce – and that it is the level of conflict that affects the children negatively, not the divorce itself.

The divorce mediator at Westfield Mediation, LLC flexes their work hours to best meet the client’s needs.  Evening hours are offered. Both virtual and office appointments are available. Meetings are scheduled by appointment only.

The office is conveniently located in downtown Scotch Plains, Union County, close to Middlesex, Essex and Somerset Counties.

At Westfield Mediation, LLC, you pay for the time that you use at the end of each divorce mediation session. No retainer is required. The rate is $300/hour. Cash, checks, Zelle, Venmo, or credit cards (there is a 3.5% processing fee for credit cards) are accepted.

Generally, it takes about 10 hours in total if no parenting plan is needed and 15 hours including a parenting plan. Total hours include meeting and document preparation time.

A litigated divorce costs an average of $78,000, and still parties end up settling before trial 98% of the time. Divorce mediation can save you a significant amount of money.

Yes. Both virtual and in person meetings are offered. You can decide which option works best for the both of you for each meeting. All parties will meet either in person at the office or virtually on Zoom.

The total length of the divorce mediation process depends on the complexity of the issues in each specific situation. Generally, 4 meetings if no parenting plan is needed and 6 meetings including a parenting plan. Meetings are scheduled for one hour at your convenience.

Westfield Mediation, LLC offers a one-time consult with a divorce mediator for one person, if your spouse refuses to attend. This consult allows you to gather general information about divorce mediation and the divorce process. The meeting is 30 minutes and costs $150.

On-going divorce mediation requires both parties to attend meetings, so you can make joint decisions about your futures.

Divorce Mediation can work even when you are angry and unable to communicate. However, couples with a history of domestic violence are not candidates for divorce mediation. The divorce mediator remains neutral and is not on anyone’s side. Having a neutral third person in the room changes the dynamic of the conversation. The mediator guides each party into participating. Each party can contribute to making decisions for their new futures.

The mediator helps couples create reasonable plans that they are comfortable living with after the divorce. Divorce Mediation is a personalized service tailored to meet your particular needs. Zoom meetings is an option that allows people to be on the same screen without being in the same room, which provides some people the distance they need to feel comfortable participating in divorce mediation.

It is recommended that each party hire a review attorney to use as a legal consultant. A review attorney is a divorce attorney acting in a more limited role. The review lawyer can inform you of your legal rights, review the final divorce agreement, and file the divorce documents in court. A list of mediation-friendly review attorneys can be provided upon request to make the process easier, or you can find your own.

When using divorce mediation, you use your lawyer more as a legal adviser instead of a divorce attorney, which can save you thousands of dollars and help minimize stress. Your review attorney becomes one part of your divorce team, instead of being the only member of your team. Generally, divorce attorneys do not join the mediation meetings. A person can consult with their attorney outside of mediation and then come prepared to discuss the various issues in a mediation meeting. 

It is legal to not use a divorce attorney at all in New Jersey for your divorce and instead represent yourself in court. It is called being pro se.

Yes. Divorce mediation and litigation can be used together. The best approach is to limit divorce litigation to only those few, if any, issues that do not get resolved through divorce mediation. This targeted approach is less expensive and time-consuming than trying to complete the entire divorce in family court using only your divorce attorneys. This way, people do not argue about matters on which they mainly agree. By finding areas of agreement through divorce mediation, divorcing couples improve their post-divorce relationship, and save valuable time and money.

Yes. You can start divorce mediation at any point during a divorce, even if you have already filed paperwork in court or started divorce litigation with a divorce lawyer. A divorce mediator addresses the same issues as a divorce lawyer — child custody, parenting plan, child support, division of marital assets and debts, and spousal support (alimony).

At Westfield Mediation, LLC, we recommend that all of our clients hire review attorneys to use as legal advisers and to help file the final paperwork in court. To make it easier, we will give you a list of mediation-friendly review attorneys.

Westfield Mediation, LLC is one of the few practices in New Jersey that specializes in divorce mediation. It is all that we do with the sole focus on providing divorce mediation services. Since 2011, we have helped hundreds of divorcing couples. We provide divorce mediation services in a calm, caring manner and are committed to helping clients reach an agreement.

Westfield Mediation is here to help you during an incredibly stressful time in your life. Michelle Weinberg has a background in marriage and family therapy and can guide you through the complicated separation process to arrive at a negotiated agreement in a caring and non-adversarial manner. The process is personalized and moves as quickly or as slowly as your needs require. Westfield Mediation, LLC, has established relationships with valuable experts such as attorneys, therapists, accountants, and real estate agents, to refer to if needed during the divorce process. We understand how the divorce process can affect the economic and personal relationship you have with one another, and with your children, for the rest of your lives.

Because divorce mediation is all that we do, we know the issues you need to address now to avoid having any problems in the future, post-divorce. We have the expertise and the compassionate understanding to help you during this stressful time. A highly-educated professional divorce mediator is here to help you make informed decisions about your divorce and your new futures.