Welcome to Arizona Mediation Institute
Our Services
MEDIATION
Arizona Mediation Institute’s offices are uniquely tailored to create intimate mediations in a comfortable setting. Whether a mediation includes one couple, attorneys or experts, our suites are designed to accommodate large or small mediations or arbitrations.
FAMILY LAW MASTER
ARBITRATION
CONSULTATION ON MEDIATION
Partners
Judy
Andi
Aris
Steven
Jared
About Us
Our mission is to accommodate your needs by conducting negotiations in a welcoming space, with the assistance of seasoned mediation professionals leading the way to successful, lasting agreements.
Judy, Andi, Aris, Steven, and Jared have well over 100 years of combined experience in family law. They have worked with people experiencing the stresses of a life-changing occurrence and because of their educational backgrounds and compassionate approaches, they have helped hundreds of people reach agreements about their children and their assets.
The process
Mediation participants may meet with their mediator in joint session together. Alternatively, the parties may meet separately with the mediator in a caucus format.
For parties participating in mediation there is no requirement to appear in court at any time during the process. The mediators at Arizona Mediation Institute will prepare any necessary documents for the court.
FIRST SESSION – DIVORCE / LEGAL SEPARATION MEDIATION
In cases involving minor children, the mediator will discuss legal decision-making and the various parenting time options available. The children’s expenses and child support will also be discussed.
AGREEMENTS
- Value of Assets
- Division of Property
- Allocation of Debt
- Allocation of taxes/filings
- Spousal Maintenance
- Child Support and Children’s Expenses
- Parenting Time and Decision-Making
LEGAL DOCUMENTS
- Property Settlement Agreement/Marital Settlement Agreement
- Parenting Plan
- Consent Decree of Dissolution/Legal Separation
- Child Support Documents
PROCESS PARTNERS
- Attorneys for the parties
- Certified Public Accountants
- Financial Planners
- Pension Experts
- Valuation Experts
- Real Estate Appraisers
- Psychologists
- Counselors
GETTING STARTED
In order to make your first divorce mediation session more productive, the following is a list of documents you can collect, photocopy and bring with you to the first meeting.
- Bank Account Information (names of banking institutions, type of accounts, account numbers and account values)
- Retirement Account Information (401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, Pension plans (name of institution, type of retirement account, account numbers and account values)
- Stock and Stock Option Information (vested and unvested)
- Real Property (address, value (if available) and mortgages or liens)
- Real Estate Appraisals (if any)
- Business or Professional Practice Valuations (if any)
- Vehicle Information (year, make, model, mileage, loans)
- List of debts/liabilities (mortgages, lines of credit, personal loans, credit card debt)
- Life Insurance Information (provider, policy number, term or whole life, whole life values, death benefit and beneficiary)
- Most recent tax return (mediator may request additional tax returns)
- Current pay stubs for both parties
- Cost of monthly medical insurance premium for just the minor child/children
The absence of any of these documents or this information will not prevent you from participating in the first mediation session. The meeting can be productive without the information.
If you have any questions regarding the first mediation session or the documentation listed above, we encourage you to email us and we will be happy to assist you.
OTHER TYPES OF MEDIATION
Why Mediation
FAMILY MEDIATION
THE PRACTICALITY OF MEDIATION
Mediation presents a much different and more positive scenario.
Generally, mediation results in a resolution in an average of just three to four months.
Industry research indicates couples who have used mediation are more likely to:
- Reach voluntary agreements
- Generate comprehensive agreements more personalized to their objectives
- Find the process more fair and more sensitive to their needs
- Abide by the agreements they have reached
- Return to court less often
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is mediation?
WHAT IS THE MEDIATOR’S ROLE?
The role of the mediator is to help the parties:
- Determine whether mediation is appropriate
- Assess the capacity of the parties to negotiate their interests effectively
- Design the mediation process
- Guide the setting of agreed-upon ground rules
- Conduct the mediation process impartially
During mediation, parties are encouraged to discuss their concerns, interests, issues and options in order to contribute to elements of settlement and settlement implementation. A good mediator helps the parties manage their emotions and maintain dignity throughout the entire process.
It is not the role of the mediator to serve as an expert on the specific matters in dispute or to propose a settlement. However, a mediator can prove useful to the parties in identifying areas they may wish to explore in crafting settlement options. The parties retain ownership and control of their issues and of the responsibility for resolving them with the assistance of a mediator.
What are the benefits of mediation?
- Settlement of disputes in a timely manner. You are in control of how long the process takes. Almost every case will settle prior to trial. Therefore, the real issue is not if a case will settle, but when. Mediation can focus settlement negotiations, simplify correspondence and the exchange of documents and allow agreements to be reached more quickly.
- Cost. An early settlement saves litigation expenses and other costs related to managing the dispute. Arizona Mediation Institute bills at an hourly rate and does not require a retainer.
- Maintain Control. Mediation differs from arbitration or trial because the mediator does not make a decision or force any party to accept a settlement. When you agree to mediate a dispute, you are agreeing to attend the mediation session and participate in a good faith effort to settle the matter. Consequently, you are always in full control of the outcome.
- Mediation Is Confidential. Unlike court proceedings, all mediation sessions are confidential. Therefore, any negotiations during the mediation sessions do not become part of the public record.
- Preserve continuing relationships. Mediation is particularly useful in situations where the parties will be working together after the dispute is resolved, as is true of parents or business partners.
- Preparation of legal documentation. Arizona Mediation Institute will prepare your documents to begin and finalize your divorce, or amend your finalized divorce. Arizona Mediation Institute will also memorialize your ongoing negotiations with a binding agreement.
Our Space
Arizona Mediation Institute provides a space that is both private and light infused. We have worked to create an office that is not overly corporate or intimidating, but very professional and conducive to clients and the professionals they may choose to involve in the process.
You will find a conference room equipped for arbitration hearings as well as mediation and client meetings. You may also attend a mediation in one of our intimate caucus rooms.
Clients and professionals have told us that mediating in a cramped, stuffy, and overly constricted environment affects their comfort level and may even influence the outcome of the process. Through our unique and pleasant offices, we have sought to put together a space for discussion, conciliation and resolution. We believe we have achieved our goal.