There is a story that Willie Sutton, a famous bank robber, once responded to a reporter who asked "Why do you rob banks?" with the simple answer "Because that's where the money is!"   While that story is probably made up , it reminds me of the reason that most people go to court to get divorced: because that's where the paperwork has to be filed. Of course, if divorce was as simple as filling out the paperwork then there would be no need to write anything further.  However, the act of getting divorced involves numerous aspects of a couple's lives including finances, parenting, communication, loss of a relationship, forming of new relationship dynamic, etc. One Court's Answer: One court in San Francisco, California has recognized this problem by "strongly recommending" that people filing with the court in family law matters first consider out-of-court dispute resolution options: "The San Francisco Superior Court and its Famil...

One of the advantages of mediation is the flexibility of the mediation process.  For those people whose conflict includes multiple issues, as is often the case in divorce mediation, skilled mediators can adapt and assist with communication, goal-setting, problem-solving, and in some instances even transformation of a relationship. To allow the mediation process to adapt in this way we sometimes have to look at options for meeting that are unconventional to help people see their issues in a new light.  At Skylark Law & Mediation , we have two conference rooms that are very different for exactly this purpose.   One conference room is more business-like and is more appropriate for discussing financial and legal issues.  Our other conference room is more casual, including pictures of my children on the walls.  I find that clients usually feel this setting is more comfortable for discussing parenting disagreements, or communication issues. Meeting on...