Child Custody and Mediation in Maryland

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Why begin with mediation when you have a child custody dispute in Maryland?

Reason #1 – Because a child custody dispute in court is like a gun fight in the wild west. Bullets are flying, and a lot of people will be caught in the crossfire, including your child or children, and your children’s parents (in other words, the parties themselves).

Reason #2 – Because in Maryland, child custody disputes are ordered to mediation! Be ahead of the curve, begin your child custody negotiations in mediation.

Reason #3 – In child custody mediation the tone of the discussions are geared towards settlement and threats and fear tactics are discouraged and who needs to pile on more fear in a child custody dispute?

Reason #4 – Who are the experts in your child? The Judge? The Lawyers? You?

Reason #5 – Because your relationship with your co-parent will continue no matter the manner in which your child custody dispute is handled; Ugly handling of the dispute = ugly co-parenting relationship.

Reason #6 – In child custody mediation, creative solutions, finely tailored to the parties and the child/children are readily crafted; litigated child custody disputes are decided in black and white terms.

Reason #7 – Couples who handle their child custody disputes in mediation, usually return to mediation for future dispute and vice versa- start your child custody disputes in litigation and you may be litigating over the child/children for life- KER-CHING!

Reason #8 – KER-CHING!!! Child custody battles cost the big bucks! Just call a child custody lawyer and ask how much of a retainer he or she will charge for a child custody case. Then ask the lawyer to give you a range of the total fees and costs for a litigated child custody battle.

Reason #9 – What kind of example do you set for your child/children by handling a dispute with a battle vs. handling a dispute with calm, considered negotiations in a non-hostile manner?

Reason #10 – In child custody litigation nobody wins. The only way to win, is not to play. Choose child custody mediation to resolve your Maryland child custody disputes.