August 20, 2011The National Post highlights Ontario’s move toward mandatory information sessions promoting divorce mediation. Kathryn Blaze Carlson writes (excerpt):
Had Scott McLarty and his then-wife been forced to consider divorce mediation as an alternative to litigation, he might have been spared $15,000 in legal fees and a two-year court battle over spousal support.
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“I think it would [...]
Posted in Divorce Grand Rapids, Mediation/ADR 
1 Comment »
June 7, 2011“Everything you can imagine is real.”–Pablo Picasso
You’ve heard the saying: Perception is reality. So how can we collaborate through divorce negotiations to a fair resolution when you and your spouse start with such vastly different sets of perceptions?
As strange as it seems, the collaborative divorce process actually moves you through perceptions by promoting fairness in [...]
Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Gentler Divorce, Mediation/ADR, Procedures/Rules No Comments »
April 3, 2011CBS Money Watch offers Jane Bryant Quinn’s list of “10 Steps to Avoid Losing Your Shirt in a Divorce.”
Jane Bryant Quinn writes (excerpt):
10. Put $$$ in your pocket by avoiding a battle with your spouse. In hard times, divorcing couples struggle for every dime. But the more you fight, the more of those dimes vanish [...]
Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Gentler Divorce, Mediation/ADR 1 Comment »
March 5, 2010YS Mediationhighlights the benefits of divorce mediation (excerpt):
Couples have the opportunity to let go of the old way of handling marital separation and divorce by embracing mediation, which is a simple and cost effective way to handle the division of your assets while maintaining good will with everyone involved. Divorce mediation is the solution to [...]
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November 3, 2009Single Parent Gossip shares the method for using collaborative law to resolve your divorce out of court.
Talibah Mbonisi writes (excerpt):
. . . In this cooperative framework, both parties also agree to:
- Act in their children’s best interests to minimize any negative impact that the situation could have on them.
- Be respectful to one another, stay [...]
Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Divorce Grand Rapids, Gentler Divorce, Mediation/ADR No Comments »
October 23, 2009Stu Webb is being honored for finding a better way to divorce at the 10th International Academy of Collaborative Professionals Educational Forum.
Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Divorce Grand Rapids, Gentler Divorce, Mediation/ADR No Comments »
October 7, 2009ABA Book Briefs Blog features a divorce mediation excerpt from the book “Collaborative Law: Achieving Effective Resolution in Divorce without Litigation,” Second Edition by Pauline H. Tesler (excerpt):
If a collaborative case runs into problems, a “meta-mediator” can help everyone get through the challenging phase. Sometimes a “perfect storm” of challenging clients and challenging issues can [...]
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August 23, 2009The Traverse City Record-Eagle introduces the concept of the gentler divorce through Collaborative Divorce to our neighbors to the north.
Vanessa McCray writes (excerpt):
But feelings and the family’s future are not to be overlooked. Divorce is a “devastating and emotionally intense time, even if you’ve chosen to use this model,” she said. Franseen acts as a [...]
Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Mediation/ADR 3 Comments »
June 24, 2009Smart Money declares the top 5 divorce mistakes and highlights divorce mediation in the process.
Stacey L. Bradford writes (excerpt):
4. Rushing to Court
The fastest way to run up those hourly attorney fees is to go to court. While a regular divorce costs around $8,000, one that goes to trial can easily run upwards of $20,000, says [...]
Posted in Mediation/ADR No Comments »
May 4, 2009myOptumHealth.com and KOTV show how divorcing couples use mediation to process a civilized divorce.
Lila Havens writes (excerpt):
In mediation, the couple works to reach an agreement both people think is fair. The mediator acts as a go-between to help them communicate. The couple makes the decisions, so they are more likely to stick with them. Having [...]
Posted in Divorce Grand Rapids, Mediation/ADR No Comments »
January 31, 2009Domestic Diversions previously announced our new parenting pilot project. Now,
The Grand Rapids Press covered the new Kent County Parenting Plan, a pilot project approved by the Michigan Supreme Court.
Theresa D. Mcclellan writes (excerpt):
The hope is that by judicially redirecting the focus onto the children in divorce proceedings, parents will remember what’s at stake, which [...]
Posted in Mediation/ADR, Procedures/Rules 1 Comment »
August 12, 2008The Wall Street Journal uses the divorce of Robin Williams and his wife, Marcia Garces Williams, to remind us of the effects of divorce on children.
Stephanie Coontz writes (excerpt):
But a growing body of evidence suggests that normalizing divorce and surrounding it with expectations of cooperative behavior is far better for everyone than the two extremes [...]
Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Families/Children, Mediation/ADR 1 Comment »
July 15, 2008Newsday shows how divorce mediation can “avoid the circus that you see in the Brinkley case” [of Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook]. Divorce mediation–especially mediation of custody disputes–controls costs, maintains privacy, limits conflict, and promotes relationships and shared goals.
Michael Rothfield and Melanie Lefkowitz write (excerpt):
“It puts a premium on digging up dirt on the [...]
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July 9, 2008The Grand Forks Herald reveals the appeal of divorce mediation.
Janell Cole writes (excerpt):
“Mediation can be successful because its focus is on the strengths each person has as a parent and on the joint goals and aspirations parents have for their children,” state Court Administrator Sally Holewa told a legislative committee June 24.
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In mediation, one of [...]
Posted in Mediation/ADR 2 Comments »
June 9, 2008The ABA Journal emphasizes “efforts to take the nastiness out of divorce proceedings.”
Jill Schachner Chanen writes (excerpt):
[re: Collaborative Divorce]
An even more significant development is the growing use of what practitioners term a collaborative approach to divorce cases.
Borrowing principles of mediation, the collaborative approach calls for the parties—and, significantly, their lawyers—to reach a settlement without taking [...]
Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Mediation/ADR No Comments »
June 1, 2008The Akron Beacon Journal hails the verdict: “Mediation saves.”
Paula Schleis writes (excerpt):
”With a third person present, it just changes things. People are able to talk things over,” said Bernard Winick, who teaches business law at the University of Akron.
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The stickier the situation, the more Winick loved trying to guide the parties to a creative solution. [...]
Posted in Mediation/ADR No Comments »
May 30, 2008The Santa Barbara Independent comments on how to get a win-win split in divorce.
Kevin Bourke writes (excerpt):
Divorce mediation has become increasingly popular in recent years. If you and your soon-to-be ex are both intent on creating a peaceful divorce, why not explore this option? It can be much less expensive and has worked well for [...]
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December 20, 2007 The Associated Press discusses the options of collaborative divorce and mediation.
David Crary writes (excerpt):
In contrast to mediation, in which divorcing couples entrust a resolution to a single neutral mediator, collaborative divorce involves the use of attorneys for each party, often joined by other expert consultants. But the lawyers, instead of sparring, pledge from the [...]
Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Mediation/ADR 1 Comment »
September 9, 2007 My new website promotes the concept of collaborative divorce. It’s not for everyone. But for the right couple, the difference is night and day.
Here’s a peek at the introductory comments:
“If you are looking for the most self-righteous people in America, go to divorce court. Nobody’s to blame, nobody’s done anything wrong. We [...]
Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Mediation/ADR No Comments »
April 30, 2006I have been providing Parenting Coordination (PC) since 1995. I learned of this service at the Association of Family Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Annual Conference in 1994. PC is a service often provided by Psychologists for co-parents in post-divorce situations. Parenting Coordinators provide 3 roles: educators, mediators, and arbitrators to help co-parents resolve conflicts related to [...]
Posted in Families/Children, Mediation/ADR 3 Comments »
