In this video, our Chicago family mediation attorneys explain what family mediation is and the difference between voluntary and court ordered mediation. Family mediation is one of several alternative dispute resolution options available to couples in Illinois seeking to resolve issues involving either a divorce or parenting issues.  Other alternatives to litigation include collaborative divorce, cooperative divorce, and arbitration. Mediation may be initiated voluntarily by the parties at any stage of their case, even before filing for divorce.  It may also be ordered by the court in a domestic relations case.  Even if the parties attend mediation because they were ordered to do so by the court, any resulting agreement as a result of the mediation is voluntary. Local court rules vary regarding the minimum number of mediation sessions, the time period required for each sessions, how impediments to mediation and exceptions are to be handled, and provisions for confidentiality.  In Cook County, the court will assign a mediator and the parties are not required to pay a fee.

In this article, our Chicago family mediation attorneys explain the difference between contributions and dissipation when it comes to marital estates. When one spouse uses marital resources for non-marital purposes, it is likely they have “dissipated” the marital estate. If a dissipation has occurred, then the spouse who has caused the dissipation must reimburse the marital estate for this improper expenditure. A contribution, on the other hand, occurs when one spouse uses non-marital funds to contribute to a marital expense. When a contribution has occurred then the contributing party is entitled to reimbursement from the marital estate. The key fact to differentiate dissipation from contribution is: when a dissipation has occurred the dissipating spouse owes the marital estate money; when a contribution has occurred the marital estate owes the contributing spouse money.

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In this article, our Chicago family mediation attorneys discuss in detail both collaborative and cooperative divorce. Similar to divorce mediation, Cooperative and Collaborative divorce alls parties to potentially resolve dispute that arise in a divorce outside of court. This allows both parties to save time and money on attorneys fees along with the stress. In both of these types of divorce, the parties attempt to reach a settlement without a mediator. In this article, our Chicago family mediation attorneys discuss in detail both of these types of divorces.

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