Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

  “Mediation is a structured, interactive process where an impartial third party assists disputing parties in resolving conflict through the use of specialized communication and negotiation techniques.“ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediation . Mediation is a type of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) conducted to resolve pending Court actions. Georgia has an Office of Dispute Resolution specifically appointed to oversee ADR programs. “The mission of the Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution is to help the Georgia Supreme Court fulfill its Constitutional mandate to ‘provide for the speedy, efficient, and inexpensive resolution of disputes and prosecutions’ in the judiciary.” https://godr.org/about-us/ . All types of people seek mediation for a wide variety of issues, in fact, some courts order mediation before a case is allowed to move forward with a final hearing. During mediation, both parties agree to attempt to work out their pending issues with a trained neutral ...

Many websites have legal forms online, however to someone who is not familiar with the law, those forms can be overwhelming. Some fill-in forms do not suit your needs and often do not address all legally required issues for a divorcing couple. The wrong forms or incorrectly completed forms can lead to complications. "If you're not a lawyer you probably have no business acting like one in certain instances.” https://www.findlaw.com/hirealawyer/do-you-need-a-lawyer/top-ten-reasons-to-hire-a-lawyer.html . “Divorce and family law rules vary from state to state, and unless you already know your state laws and local rules, you'll have a lot to learn to get up to speed.” https://www.divorcenet.com/resources/can-i-handle-my-own-divorce-or-should-i-hire-a-lawyer.html . If you and your spouse agree on most issues with your upcoming divorce, that is a great start, however keep in mind, “even the most agreeable couples can hit roadblocks during the settlement process, so be prepared...