how mediation works with

Your path to a peaceful resolution begins here.

Couples who are amicable and want a peaceful and fair way to move beyond their marriage often end up retaining separate attorneys, being pit against each other, and arguing over things they don't truly care about. This is expensive, mentally exhausting, and will have a lasting impact on your relationship and your ability to effectively co-parent your children.  

Step One - schedule our Initial Discovery Meeting together.  Both spouses sit down with Katie to talk about how Smart Divorce Mediation works and decide what issues we will settle in Mediation.  These issues can include Property Division, Child Custody, Child Support, and Spousal Support.  Katie will outline what documents you’ll need to gather before our first SmartMediation working session and give you a link to a secure online Client Portal to upload these documents.  After this 1 hour meeting, you will have a clear path to an agreement that works for your family.

Next up - our first working session where we get into the meat of the issues and start the real work.  At our first working session, we will begin by discussing each spouse’s “big picture” goals and find common ground on any issues we can before we really dig in.  The issues we are far apart on will get our attention next – and this is where Katie’s expertise and years of litigating family law cases kicks in.  Katie can offer suggestions and alternatives for resolution that she has seen work, and can tell you the good, the bad and the ugly on ways that absolutely don’t work.

Each time we reach a resolution on an issue, Katie will memorialize it in our Memorandum of Understanding document – our outline for your final settlement document.

We continue our work and once we have reached agreement on all issues, your hard work is done.  Katie finalizes the Memorandum of Understanding and uploads it to your secure Client Portal.  Both spouses will be provided a list of vetted independent attorneys to consult with about the final terms of the agreement.  The North Carolina State Bar requires at least one spouse to retain their own independent attorney to draft the final settlement document that will be based upon the Memorandum of Understanding.  Ethics Rules in North Carolina prohibit neutral Mediators from drafting the final legally binding settlement document that parties sign.

After your final settlement document is signed, Katie remains available as your neutral Mediator to help you work through any future road bumps that may arise.  Life happens – fighting in Court doesn’t have to.  Keeping your case out of the Courtroom is a gift you can give yourself, your children, and your bank account.  Commit to a peaceful resolution with Smart Divorce Mediation.