Avoid a Courtroom Battle with Family Mediation in Kamloops

Name: Cates Ford Soll & Epp LLP
Address: #300 - 272 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC, V2C 2A2
Telephone: 250-372-1234

Our Kamloops Mediators Resolve Family Law Disputes Through Negotiation and Agreement

The costs of going to court can be high, and there is no guarantee as to the results. An increasing number of Canadians and Kamloops residents are turning to family mediation in order to resolve with family law problems rather than through litigation.

What Is Family Mediation?

Family mediation involves you and your partner meeting with trained family mediator in order to resolve parenting, separation, and/or divorce issues. It is something to try before starting a court case or at any time throughout your case in Kamloops.

Benefits of family mediation may include:

You can work out your own solution without involving the court
It can help both parties to work on communication and problem solving, thus reducing potential future conflicts
It keeps a focus on your children’s best interests
Potentially less costly than going to court
A more informal setting and is private, unlike court
It is voluntary so you can leave at any time

In order for family mediation to work, you must be interested in working with and communicating with the other party in order to find solutions for you and your family. If you cannot communicate your needs or listen to the other party’s concerns, mediation will not work for you.

When you work with a mediator, you will be able to work on solutions for issues, such as:

How and when to separate
Custody and access when it comes to parenting
Child support
Spousal and/or partner support
Division of property and assets

What Does the Mediator Do?

A mediator is not a replacement for a lawyer. They cannot give legal advice, take sides, or make any decisions for you or the other party. Their role is strictly to assist all parties in finding a solution that is fair and lasting. It is suggested that you seek out legal advice before going into mediation and to retain it throughout as you should know your legal rights and obligations.

In order to choose a family mediator, all parties involved must agree on who it will be. You can find a family mediator in private practices, such as Cates Ford Soll & Epp LLP, or through community groups and counselling organizations. When choosing a family mediator, you should be considering things such as their professional background, the type and how much training related to your issues, how the mediation fees are set and paid, and scheduling of time and dates for sessions.

Our lawyers are certified and trained in family mediation for the Kamloops area. We can help you work through the often painful and difficult process of negotiation towards an out-of-court agreement. This approach to family law helps keep costs down and allows our clients to focus on the issues that matter to them. Not every problem can be dealt with through family law mediation, but many cases can benefit from this more flexible and cost-efficient approach.

Marriage and Separation Agreements

A marital separation agreement can allow you and your partner to sort out problems without the hassle of divorce. Our skilled lawyers are regularly called upon by our clients to assist them to negotiate their issues and draft formal written agreements outside of court.

It is always important to have a lawyer draft up or review written agreement as the Supreme Court of Canada has indicated that settlements, where lawyers are involved in negotiating, drafting, and revising the final agreement, are more enforceable than agreements prepared without a lawyer’s participation. Our lawyers have in-depth experience in preparing formal written agreements.

If you are planning to get married or want to start a new relationship, you may benefit from a formal legal agreement. Cohabitation or marriage agreements deal with what will happen with children, liabilities, property, and support issues if the relationship or marriage breaks down in the future. A formal written agreement can grant peace of mind and allow couples to move forward with a healthy and happy relationship.

What to Expect from Family Mediation

The mediator will have confidential meetings with each party before any mediation meetings begin in order to understand each party’s interests and goals as well as to adapt the process to those needs. Afterwards, one or more joint sessions take place in order to reach agreements on the issues at hand. If successful, no litigation is necessary. If not, litigation must commence.

To start the process, see if the other side is open to mediation to settle your issues, either directly or through your lawyer.

The following lawyers would be happy to assist you in the matters related to family law:

Christopher Soll

Simon Walter

Download our client information sheet here and send it to us in advance of your initial meeting with us. We can be better prepared to assist you.

Experienced Legal Representation

You can depend on Cates Ford Soll & Epp LLP for the legal aid you need.

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