It is an unfortunate reality, but often times a divorce turns into a bitter fight between the separating spouses. The soon-to-be-exes hold grudges against each other and utilize any piece of legal leverage to earn a sense of victory in the divorce proceedings. It can become an endless struggle, with a variety of issues that need to be handled. Determining who gets what property, what the legal terms of child custody will be and how certain assets will be divided are just a few of the divisive matters when filing for divorce.

This scenario can be much more amicable, if not avoided, using divorce mediation. An alternative way to deal with the split, divorce mediation allows separating couples to come to terms with their impending legal situation.

A neutral mediator, usually an attorney, will facilitate divorce proceedings and lead negotiations between you and your spouse. The goal of divorce mediation is to reach a realistic middle ground on any issue at hand, allowing the separating parties to agree on a compromise. Not only does this foster further negotiation, it also lets both you and your spouse express the issues and feelings each of you are having about life after divorce.

One advantage of divorce mediation is that the mediator can give you expert legal advice on marital law and the financial intricacies of the divorce process. This "insider knowledge" gives both parties the chance to save money and maybe even retain key assets as they move on with their lives.

Divorce mediation also gives splitting couples the freedom to reach realistic legal guidelines for their impending divorce. For example, many times courts will place rigid rulings in divorce cases. These unrealistic rules can place undue stress on the splitting spouses, and even cause future legal disputes. With a mediator, the couples can potentially agree to a more amicable resolution by talking through the issue at hand.

Source: Huffington Post, "New Year's Resolution," Abby Tolchinsky, Dec. 21, 2011