Generally the more emotion attached to any divorce decision, the harder it is to reach an agreement.

When divorce issues are emotionally charged offers go back and forth between lawyers and clients and the cost of the divorce goes up with each letter and phone call. Each subsequent demand is seen as an escalation of the controversy, until finally the court must make the decision for the couple.

Divorce doesn’t have to be this ugly. You do not have to leave the most important issues in your life up to a judge or have them talked about in court at your expense. No matter how far apart you and your spouse might be on divorce issues; there is a better and less expensive way to handle those issues and find a solution you can both live with. The answer is mediation.

Mediation allows two people, who are sometimes miles apart on an issue, to come together in a neutral setting with the mediator assisting the parties to reach their own decision. The mediator acts as a neutral to bring about a win-win situation.

So if any or all of the three most emotionally charged divorce issues are something you are up against, read my mediation FAQ’s and learn how to save money, time and general angst. Divorce doesn’t have to be an ugly battle played out in the courtroom.

Mediation: The Wave of the Future
By Marti Gacioch

Real estate can be a volatile business, The market often changes as quickly as people's circumstances, and sometimes those changes create a conflict between a buyer and a seller. Fortunately a lawsuit isn't the only solution. Del Mar Attorney, Jane Schooler: 'Mediate don't litigate" she suggests. Mediation is less expensive, less time consuming and far less stressful that litigation."

"Mediation is the wave of the future," she said."There will always be lawsuits, but people are finding they can often settle their differences more easily by having a mediator facilitate negotiation."

What are some of those differences? Everyone has heard of buyer's remorse, but in today's real estate market seller's remorse is also quite common. The market is changing rapidly and homes are selling so fast that a seller who seemed completely satisfied with a home sale one day may want to back out of a contract when a back-up buyer makes a bigger offer. The buyer could bring a lawsuit against the seller to enforce the contract, but such an action is quite costly, and it may take over a year to settle. In the meantime, both parties are consumed with lengthy frustrating litigation.

" My role is to help people avoid such lawsuits," Schooler said. Schooler cites a typical case involving buyers with a poor credit history. Who could only qualify for loans with high interest rates. After a title search of their chosen home revealed a seven-foot encroachment of a swimming pool on a utility easement, the buyers wanted to scrap the deal and regain their deposit. The sellers, on the other hand, wanted to complete the deal. ""In a case like this both parties have something to lose, so mediation can provide a good solution".