YES! Family mediation is most successful when the parties attend mediation first. This type of mediation is called pre-suit mediation. In a pre-suit mediation, the parties work with a family mediator to create a Marital Settlement Agreement and a Parenting Plan, if needed. If the case is a paternity matter only (meaning the parties were never married), the family mediator would assist in calculating the child support and creating a Parenting Plan. Once the necessary documents are prepared, the parties can then go to the courthouse to file the documents.

No! Family mediation can be conducted solely with a family mediator and the parties. Many couples choose to go through family mediation pro se, which means without attorneys. Jenny is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator and is highly qualified to manage all aspects of a family mediation involving divorce and modifications to existing Marital Settlement Agreements, Parenting Plans and Child Support Orders. However, mediators can not provide legal advice only legal information. It is always recommended that the parties seek legal counsel before signing any agreement. Besides being a mediator, Jenny is a Florida Bar licensed attorney since 2006. Her extensive knowledge of the legal system can help navigate the parties through family disputes.

Family mediation is the ideal forum for changing a prior court order of child support and a Parenting Plan. Per Florida family law statute section 61.30, a party may seek modification of a child support order if there has been a “substantial change in circumstances.” The substantial change between the existing monthly obligation and the current guideline amount must be a difference of 15% or $50.00, whichever is greater. Instead of hiring an attorney to handle the modification in court, Jenny has the proper child support software needed to calculate the new child support amount.

If the parties can not reach an agreement during the mediation, the parties can agree to impasse. Impasse means no resolution was reached during the mediation. The parties will then have to ask the family law court to resolve the matter for them. However, if the parties need additional time outside the mediation session to make decisions, they can agree to postpone the session and resume mediating at another time.

YES! It does not matter which party initiates the contact with Jenny. A family mediator does not represent either party. Jenny encourages both parties to speak with her prior to any mediation to ask any and all questions. Those conversations are confidential.