Utilizing Mediation to Resolve Family Disputes: Safeguarding Time, Money, and Privacy

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Clackamas’ Senior Judge, Eve L. Miller, discusses what mediation
is, how it’s handled, and what it can accomplish for families who
are hoping to avoid court.


Mediators are trained to be a neutral party, and to not push or
persuade one party in any direction. Evaluative Mediation allows
a mediator to put their two cents into the situation due to their
background and training, such as formerly holding a position as a
judge or an attorney.


The focus in mediation is to help parties come to agreements
together, outside of court if possible. Generally speaking,
people feel better when they have some ownership and control over
the outcome, rather than a judge making the decision on their
behalf.


A mediator is able to tackle every legal issue, ranging from
asset division to custody and parenting time. Even if every issue
is not settled within mediation, paring down as many topics as
possible will save time, money, and some anguish of going to
court. 


Mediation is often an appealing process for couples because they
aren’t public, whereas a court trial is. For those who value
their privacy, this is a great option to work out negotiations
off the public record.


Once agreements are made in a mediation, it becomes a contract.
Oregon statutes typically encourage and respect the fact that
people can make agreements that suit their unique situations
better than a judge can, and will ratify agreements made in a
mediation, assuming they are made with the well-being of any
children in mind. 


If you're not prepared to meet somebody halfway, you probably
shouldn't be mediating, as it requires both parties to be willing
to negotiate for an effective outcome.


It’s highly recommended to have an attorney on your team when
going through a mediation, as they can provide you with legal
advice and some basic understanding of what you’re agreeing to,
while advocating for your best interest. 


If you would like to book Senior Judge for an Oregon mediation,
you can view her website at https://www.evemillermediation.com/.
If you are looking for legal representation, do not hesitate to
contact Landerholm Family Law at (503) 227-0200.


Notas del Programa:


Si está en una unión libre y tiene hijos, establecer la
paternidad es sumamente importante en caso de separación. Si no
se establece la paternidad, no se ordenará la manutención de
hijos, a menos que una de las partes decida hacerlo
voluntariamente. Además, podría haber problemas para establecer
la custodia y el tiempo de crianza. Si no se establece la
paternidad, es posible que pueda obtener la custodia y el tiempo
de crianza a través de derechos de terceros.


Al dividir los activos y llevar a cabo la disolución de una unión
libre, primero se debe determinar si se está registrada como una
pareja de hecho. Los registros de parejas de hecho en Oregon solo
están disponibles para parejas del mismo sexo, esta existía
anteriormente con el propósito de otorgar derechos matrimoniales
a parejas del mismo sexo antes de que la constitución ordenara su
disponibilidad.


Una pareja de hecho no registrada, la cual es común entre parejas
heterosexuales, homosexuales o no binarias, es cuando se han
obtenido todos o muchos de sus activos y se ha compartido gran
parte de su vida juntos. En este caso, el tribunal observará esta
relación bajo la lupa del derecho contractual.


La intención juega un papel muy importante cuando se trata de
parejas de hecho no registradas. Al decidir cómo distribuir los
activos, el tribunal analizará la intención detrás de la
relación. La intención puede ser planteada en una escritura
formal, una escritura informal (como mensajes de texto o correos
electrónicos), y también pueden ser no escritas pero implícitas.