NCJ Number
92977
Date Published
1978
Length
206 pages
Annotation
The Family Mediation Association (FMA) has developed a program of structured mediation to help divorcing couples reach a mutually agreed upon divorce settlement without resort to the adversarial system of the courts.
Abstract
Marital mediation is designed to deal solely with the practical settlement issues involving money division of marital property, spousal maintenance, child support, and custodial arrangements for children. Emotional issues are not the focus. When a couple agrees to reach settlement through mediation under the Marital Mediation Rules, a clear, detailed structure and frame of reference are chosen which call for their active participation and assumption of personal responsibility. The Family Mediation Association for an authorized mediation center serves as the administrator in mediation and arbitration proceedings. An FMA center provides physical facilities, orientation, a neutral communications center, a panel of trained mediators, a panel of impartial advisory attorneys, escrow deposit and accounting service, interpretation of the marital mediation rules, appointment of a mediator of impartial advisory attorney, and evaluation of the work done by marital mediators and advisory attorneys. The marital mediation and procedure includes 10 hours of mediation and services of an advisory attorney. Budgeting, tax considerations, the marital settlement agreement, arbitration, marital mediators, theories and methods of mediation, and marital mediation and the legal profession are also discussed in detail in the book. Tabular data; suggested readings; a selected bibliography listing 52 references; and numerous appendixes, including the reading material and worksheets for use in the mediation process, are included.