The benefits of our approach:
- Helps you settle your case fairly and within the guidelines of California law
- Much faster than litigation
- Avoids unnecessary legal conflict and heartache
- Allows you to stay in the driver’s seat, rather than turning your divorce over to lawyers and the court
- Facilitates a working relationship with your spouse, which will make future co-parenting much easier and more peaceful
- Costs considerably less than what one normally pays for a divorce or to modify prior divorce agreements
- Minimizes the harm to your children by keeping conflict low
- Holistic approach that addresses all aspects of divorce: legal, emotional, practical
- Addresses bigger life issues such as how to handle crisis and loss
- Facilitates healing and moving on with your life
We offer mediation & consultation services to resolve your family law matters out of court
Consultation | second opinions | limited advice
Divorce Mediation & Consultation By An Experienced & Caring Family Law Attorney
Mediation
Alison Patton | Patton Thickstun APC
Divorce mediation for residents of San Diego County
We guide you through the divorce process from start to finish to keep you out of court. This includes:
- All the mediation sessions, in our private conference room
- The preparation and filing of all required court forms and legal paperwork to get a divorce in California
- A final comprehensive settlement agreement (“Marital Settlement Agreement”)
- A final Judgment of Dissolution from the court, which completes your divorce
We use the same legal process for clients who want a Legal Separation or Dissolution of Domestic Partnership.
We also provide mediation services for post-divorce issues that come up in the years following your divorce. Examples: modification of custody, parenting plans, child support and spousal support, or to resolve post-divorce financial issues (such as shared expenses related to children, or the deferred sale of assets or the family home). We work with you and your ex through mediation or consultation to help you reach new agreements which are often necessary because circumstances and incomes have changed since you reached your original agreement in years past. We prepare and file the paperwork with the court which outlines the new agreement and creates a new court order for your mutual protection.
FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT HOW MY MEDIATION PROCESS WORKS, CLICK HERE.
Not sure whether your case is suitable for mediation? Click here for article: How Do I Decide Whether To Mediate?
In-person or over-the-phone divorce and custody consultations for individuals who would like legal assistance with divorce, but cannot do mediation for one reason or another. This service works well if you live too far away for in-office mediation or your spouse refuses to mediate.
Services Offered:
- Pre-divorce consultation: for those contemplating divorce who want more information before deciding whether to separate. I provide a blueprint of what divorce would look like for you and your family -- legally, logistically, and financially.
- Case assessment as you begin your divorce process/ Legal information about how divorce works in California / Options for handling your divorce
- Objective review/second opinion: for those with an existing divorce case being handled by another attorney, and you would like a second legal opinion.
- Legal advice and assistance with paperwork for persons doing their own divorce.
- Review of a settlement agreement before you sign off / Legal advice during mediation: for those in mediation with another mediator
- Information about the emotional aspects of divorce, including how to deal with divorce and crisis and what to do for your children during and after divorce.
- Legal and practical advice about how to handle conflicts that arise during separation and divorce, such as custody sharing, how to set parenting and holiday schedules, how to handle financial disputes and other matters related to the children. Many clients want a legal sounding board before making a decision about what to do. Because of my background in both litigation and mediation, I can help you find the best and least expensive way to resolve your conflict.
- Legal/practical advice about post-divorce modifications of child and spousal support and/or custody/parenting plans.
- Legal assistance modifying a prior court order through a new written agreement that is filed with the court. We can help you determine what modification is appropriate and can prepare and file the papers.