After practicing law for 25 years, Steven concluded that there had to be a better way to help divorcing couples. Too often, he had seen cases become too contentious, too expensive and too stressful. He saw that the courts are designed to enforce rights, not to help people when they are experiencing crisis.

Steven created the One Day Divorce Mediation process to help make divorce less stressful, less expensive, and less confrontational. The One Day Divorce Mediation process is quick. The average start to finish time is less than six weeks. It is way significantly less expensive than traditional litigation. It is also private – spouses do not air their dirty laundry in public in court. There is no judge, cross examination or opposing counsel. The One Day Divorce Mediation process is the convenient way to divorce.

The process starts with gathering information through online questionnaires. The parties will exchange information about income, assets and liabilities. If there are questions, we figure out how to get the information so that both spouses know that all of the assets and liabilities will be split.

The parties then meet with the mediator to prepare. The mediator reviews the parties’ financial situation and makes sure that everything is clear. If there are still questions, the parties and the mediator come up with a plan to answer any questions about the couple’s financial affairs. By the end of this meeting, all of the issues to be decided at the mediation will have been discussed, Oregon law explained, and the couple will be ready to proceed.

At the mediation, a professional and neutral mediator will go back and forth between the spouses until there is an agreement that works for both. Both parties are in charge: not the mediator, not a judge, and not the mediator. The end result reflects the decision that the parties come to themselves.

In the rare event that a couple cannot come to an agreement, the mediation becomes a binding arbitration. The mediator is authorized to make final decision on the outstanding issues. The decision will be made consistent with Oregon law. This ensures that the mediation will not drag out for weeks or months. The couple will have certainty that the divorce will be done promptly and on schedule.

The One Day Divorce Mediation process works. It works for couples who cannot agree on how to divide their marital estate and want to preserve their relationship or just do not want to go through the stress and expense of court. Call Oregon Divorce Mediation Services to learn more and to see if you qualify for One Day Divorce Mediation.