Mediation

Bringing Experience, Attention & Powerful Advocacy to Your Case

Putting the Decision‑Making in Your Hands

At The Law Offices of Andrew M. , P.A. in Boca Raton, Florida, we believe it critical for people facing family law issues to fully understand the consequences of their decisions and how those decisions are made. When those decisions are made in mediation, peace prevails and the decision‑making stays with you and your spouse. Attorney Smith is a trained Family Law Mediator. In addition to his law practice, he is able to help parties to a divorce reach agreements resolving their legal issues through mediation.

Contact our Boca Raton office by phone at 561‑961-4665 or by e‑mail through this Web site to learn more about the family mediation services of Andrew M. Smith, a trained Family Law Mediator. We offer a low cost initial consultation.

Mediating Versus Litigating a Family Law Case

Family law matters involve highly personal issues, the resolution of which is likely to be frustrated by arguments, hurt feelings, and lengthy, expensive litigation. Even if a resolution is ultimately reached, the conflict, the time, and the expense involved may not be in the best interests of the parents and are almost certainly not in the best interests of any children involved.

Our family law and divorce mediation services available to help you resolve a range of family law matters, including:

Divorce
Property Division
Alimony
Child Support
Child Custody
Visitation
Post Judgment Modification
Enforcement of Orders

The Benefits of Resolving Your Family Law Case through Mediation

At the Law Offices of Andrew M. Smith, P.A., we have discovered that spouses and parents who resolve their divorce, alimony, child support, child custody, and other family law matters through mediation can achieve the following:

Avoiding emotionally‑charged confrontations
Finding solutions that are fair to both parents and in the best interests and welfare of their children
Remaining more satisfied with the arrangements reached working together than those that might be imposed by a judge

Contact Us

For more information or to schedule an appointment with an experienced divorce lawyer regarding mediation, please contact us.

Can I refuse visitation if my ex-spouse fails to pay child support?

No. You cannot refuse visitation, if it has been ordered by the Court, because your ex-spouse has failed to pay child support. The failure of a party to follow a court order should be brought to the attention of the Court. Therefore, if your ex-spouse violates a court order to pay child support, that issue should be brought to the Court’s attention.

There has been an order of child support in my case, but my circumstances have changed. Is it possible to have the child support order modified?

The Court will look at a change in circumstances of the parties through a petition to modify support. If there has been a substantial change in circumstances since the original order, the Court may modify the order, based on those changed circumstances.

My spouse has always controlled our finances. He/She makes the money and I don’t have access to funds to pay for an attorney. What do I do?

Most attorneys require an initial retainer before they will start working on your case. Many attorneys accept credit cards. Once the case reaches the court system, the Court may require your spouse to pay for your attorney’s fees.

What is mediation?

Mediation is a process where the two parties get together and attempt to negotiate a settlement between the two, rather than having the judge make the final decision. Mediation can save time, money and misery. A settlement is not required, however, simply because you agree to mediate.

How is marital property divided in Florida?

As a general rule, in the state of Florida, property acquired during the marriage is split evenly, despite whose name the property is in. With any general rule, there are exceptions. The courts can change the percentage depending on the parties’ specific circumstances.

What if my spouse is hiding or misrepresenting his assets?

Each party must sign a sworn financial affidavit. If your spouse is hiding or misrepresenting his assets, you may be entitled to compensation relating to those hidden assets.