Mediation is a common and pragmatic solution for people who are going through a divorce. It saves time and money, and it helps to keep people out of the courtroom.
However, there are other benefits to mediation that you might not expect, including the protection of privacy. Below, we look at three ways that mediation can help you keep the details of your divorce out of the public eye.
- Avoiding a public record: If you take your divorce to court, then there will be a public record of everything said by all parties and of the court documents filed in the case. Even if these records are sealed, they can get out to the public, as described in this Forbes article. To avoid the creation and accessibility of a public record, you can resolve your divorce-related issues through mediation, which does not result in a public record.
- Minimizing contention: Oftentimes, the details of a divorce become public because people seek them out. They might have reason to do this if a split involves high net worth or high profile people, or if it is particularly contentious or sensational. Seeking less combative resolution methods like mediation allows splitting spouses to work through problems more peacefully, reducing the drama associated with the divorce.
- Keeping your kids (and others) out of it: If you and your spouse can work through your issues with mediation, then you can shield your kids, your family and your friends from having to go to court and possibly testify. You are not going to be the only people affected by a split, but opening up the divorce process to include others can be an easy way for information to spread without your knowledge or permission.
Divorce is an intensely personal and emotional process. And while you should never feel ashamed of this situation, you may not want the details of your divorce settlement, the property division and other elements shared with people outside of your immediate circle.
By mediating your divorce, as opposed to seeking litigation, you can find it easier to keep things private so that you can navigate this difficult event in a way that makes sense for you.