Mediation Works.  Mediation Heals.

I became a mediator because I truly believe that lawyers should be healers, not promoters of conflict. In those situations where there truly is no solution other than a judge’s decisions, you can feel like spending thousands of dollars and lots of time on litigation is reasonable. But why not give peace a chance?

Currently, I mediate eviction disputes for the Dispute Resolution Institute. I am also an approved Supreme Court Rule 900 Mediator for the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Illinois. That simply means that I have been found to have the requisite training, skills, and experience to handle parental responsibilities issues such as parenting time and decision-making about our precious tiny humans.

Here is a link to the Illinois State Bar Association’s consumer brochure on settling disputes without going to court: https://www.isba.org/sites/default/files/publications/pamphlets/ADR.pdf. The Tenth Judicial Circuit of Illinois, where I primarily practice also has some good resources on mediation that can be found at https://www.10thcircuitcourtil.org/153/Family-Law-Mediation.

The Many Benefits Of Mediating

Why mediate? Litigation is too costly, too lengthy, too destructive, and too inefficient. Trials can be painful for the parties. Mediation creates the spirit of cooperation. Mediation is very cheap compared to litigation. A result can be reached in mere hours of mediation, rather than months or sometimes years of litigation.

I tried a civil jury trial once. We not only prevailed on contested matter, but we also got every dime of the attorney fees awarded to my client. Was it a win? In the customary sense, it was a win and then some. However, an appeal followed, the verdict was upheld but only after tens of thousands of more dollars and many more months of waiting. Then you must take action to enforce the monetary judgment (getting paid on what you are owed). With factors like this to consider, there is always a reasonable compromise to be made that is a better alternative to litigation.

A Legal Battle Rarely Yields The Best Solution

During litigation, the former spouses often lose all respect and trust that may have remained after the divorce. Typically these parents must go on to co-parent with one another after they have literally battled one another with all their might. At mediation you can make your parenting time schedule and decision-making issues much more tailored to your family’s individual needs. We have fabulous judges in the Tenth Judicial Circuit, all of whom I believe truly try to get it right. But no matter how hard they try; the judge is a stranger who will never know your family the way you know your family. You can always craft a more personalized and practical agreement that better serves your family’s needs than the final decision rendered by a court.

Give Peace A Chance

Mediation can resolve any dispute, from child custody or asset division to conflicts between business partners or neighbors. My diverse legal background allows me to mediate many kinds of cases with creativity and resourcefulness. As a mediator, I aim to identify the true underlying cause of the conflict so that I can suggest viable, enduring, cost-effective and timely solutions.

Call my Peoria office at 309-839-9539 or email me to arrange a discussion of the pros and cons of mediating your family law issues or other matters.