Divorce mediation is a private process where you and your spouse work out the terms of your divorce with one neutral professional instead of fighting it out in court. You decide property, support and parenting together; the mediator keeps the conversation productive and turns what you agree on into a written settlement the court can approve.

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For most couples, yes. Research consistently finds that a majority of couples reach agreement in mediation, and those who do tend to settle faster and feel more satisfied with the outcome. Long-term studies also show parents who mediate stay more involved with their children years later.

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You still have options. Any issues you settled can be put in writing, so a judge decides only what’s left. You can also return to mediation later, try another settlement method, or go to court. What was said in mediation generally stays confidential, so trying it doesn’t hurt your case.

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No. Many couples mediate before either spouse files, and the paperwork is prepared once the terms are settled. You can also start mediation after a case is filed, even in the middle of litigation.

Yes. A legal separation resolves the same issues as a divorce, including property, support and custody, without ending the marriage. Some couples choose it for religious, insurance or personal reasons. Mediation works the same way for either path.

Our divorce mediation is billed at one flat rate rather than by the hour. The flat rate typically covers your mediation sessions and the preparation of your settlement agreement and court paperwork, and we’ll give you the full cost at your consultation before you commit to anything. Court filing fees are separate.

The flat rate generally covers the mediation sessions, help preparing your financial disclosures, drafting your Marital Settlement Agreement, and preparing the judgment paperwork for the court. We’ll walk you through exactly what’s included for your situation at the consultation. Court filing fees and outside experts, such as appraisers, are not included.

Because the biggest fear in a divorce is an open-ended bill. With a flat fee, neither spouse has a reason to rush or hold back, and every phone call or extra session doesn’t add to the cost. You can budget for the whole divorce on day one.

That’s up to you. Most couples split the fee, but some pay it from joint funds or have one spouse pay. Whatever you decide can be written into your agreement.

In a contested divorce, each spouse pays their own attorney by the hour for discovery, motions and hearings, and those bills can grow well beyond the cost of mediation. Mediation replaces two hourly bills with one flat rate, and months of court dates with a few sessions.

Yes. The Los Angeles Superior Court charges filing fees that are paid to the court, not to us. If you can’t afford them, you can apply for a fee waiver, and we can explain how.

The first session sets the ground rules, identifies every issue you need to resolve, and lists the financial information each of you needs to gather. Many couples also reach early agreements on simpler issues. Nothing is final until the written agreement is signed.

Most mediations are completed in about 4 to 12 weeks, depending on how quickly financial documents come together and how many issues are in dispute. Separately, California law requires at least six months from the date the other spouse is served (or appears in the case) before a divorce can become final.

It depends on your situation. Couples without children or complex assets often need only a few sessions; cases involving custody, a business or significant property usually need more. We’ll give you a realistic estimate after the first meeting.

Start with recent pay stubs, the last two years of tax returns, bank, retirement and investment statements, mortgage and property records, loan and credit card statements, and insurance information. If you have children, bring school and childcare cost information too.

Yes. California requires both spouses to exchange sworn financial disclosures, including a schedule of assets and debts and an income and expense declaration, before a divorce can be finalized. In mediation, we help you prepare and exchange them without formal discovery.

Yes. We hold full mediation sessions remotely by secure video, as well as in person at our Sherman Oaks office. Many couples mix the two.

You can still put the issues you’ve settled into a written agreement and take only the remaining issues to a judge. Resolving even part of your case in mediation usually saves significant time and cost.

Yes. Since January 1, 2026, spouses who agree can file a joint petition for divorce together instead of one spouse filing and serving the other. It fits naturally with mediation: once your agreement is in place, you can file as a team.

An attorney-mediator knows how California family law and the Los Angeles courts treat each issue, so your agreement reflects realistic outcomes and is drafted to be approved and enforced. Many non-attorney mediators hand you a summary that someone else must turn into legal documents; we draft the final agreement and judgment ourselves.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is an informal summary of what you’ve agreed to. A Marital Settlement Agreement (MSA) is the formal, court-ready contract that becomes part of your divorce judgment. Couples with only an MOU usually pay someone else to draft the MSA; our process produces the MSA directly.

As a neutral, the mediator can’t advise one spouse against the other. What we can do is explain the law, how courts typically handle an issue, and the likely consequences of different options, to both of you at the same time.

It’s optional but often wise, especially with significant assets, a business, or spousal support. Many couples use a consulting attorney for a few hours to review the agreement before signing, which costs far less than full representation.

Generally, yes. California law keeps what is said and written in mediation confidential and inadmissible in court, with limited exceptions. That lets you discuss options openly without worrying it will be used against you later.

Once you both sign your Marital Settlement Agreement and the court enters it as part of your judgment, it is a binding court order, enforceable the same way as a judge’s decision.

You and your spouse decide it, guided by the same standard a judge uses: the best interests of your children. We help you work through legal custody (who makes decisions about school, health and religion) and physical custody (where the children live and when), then write it into a parenting plan the court can approve.

If parents disagree about custody, the Los Angeles Superior Court requires a session with its own Family Court Services mediators before a hearing. That session covers parenting only and has limited time. Private mediation covers custody, support and property together, on your schedule, with a written agreement at the end.

Start with your children’s ages, school locations, your work schedules and commute times, then pick a regular schedule (such as 2-2-3 or alternating weeks) and add holidays, vacations, transportation and how you’ll communicate. The best plans are specific enough to prevent arguments later.

California uses a statewide guideline formula based mainly on each parent’s income and the percentage of time each parent has the children. In mediation, we run the guideline calculation with you so you can see the number before deciding anything.

Sometimes. Parents can agree to a different amount, but the court must approve it, and the agreement has to include certain statements showing you understand the guideline amount and that the children’s needs will be met.

Most parents alternate or split major holidays by year, divide winter and summer breaks, and set rules for birthdays and three-day weekends. Writing specific dates and exchange times into the plan avoids the most common conflicts.

Yes. Custody, visitation and child support can be modified when circumstances change, such as a move, a new job or a child’s changing needs. Many parents return to mediation to update their plan instead of going to court.

California is a community property state: most assets and debts acquired during the marriage are divided equally, while property owned before marriage or received as a gift or inheritance is usually separate. In mediation, you decide how to reach an equal division, including who keeps which assets, rather than having a judge split everything.

The most common options are selling and splitting the proceeds, one spouse buying out the other, or keeping the home jointly for a set period (often until the children finish school). The right choice depends on the equity, the mortgage, and whether one spouse can qualify alone.

The portion earned during the marriage is generally community property. Accounts are usually divided with a court order called a QDRO, which lets funds move between spouses without early-withdrawal penalties, or balanced against other assets.

You decide the amount and length together, using the factors a court would consider: each spouse’s income and earning ability, the length of the marriage, the standard of living, and contributions to the other’s career. Marriages of 10 years or more are treated differently for how long support can last.

A business started or grown during the marriage is often at least partly community property. Mediation lets you agree on a value (sometimes with a neutral appraiser) and on who keeps it, while protecting the business from a public court fight.

Debts taken on during the marriage are generally shared, just like assets. In mediation, you decide who pays which debts, and we can build in protections such as refinancing deadlines so one spouse isn’t left exposed on a joint account.

Both spouses must disclose all assets and debts under penalty of perjury, and hiding assets can lead to serious court penalties later. If you have concerns, raise them early; mediation can include document requests or a neutral financial expert.

You decide. California courts can consider who cares for a pet when assigning ownership, and in mediation you can go further, including shared time with the pet if that works for your family.

We prepare the judgment package and submit it to the court. The court reviews it, and once approved, your divorce is entered. Your marital status ends no earlier than six months after the other spouse was served or appeared in the case.

Usually not. When both spouses agree and the paperwork is complete, the court typically approves the judgment without either of you appearing.

Child custody, visitation and support can be changed when circumstances change. Property division is generally final once the judgment is entered, which is why it matters to get it right the first time.

Yes. You can ask to restore a former name in your divorce judgment, which is simpler than a separate name-change case later.

The Los Angeles Superior Court handles family law cases at several courthouses by district. For example, much of the San Fernando Valley files at the Van Nuys Courthouse East, downtown and central neighborhoods at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, and northeast communities at the Pasadena Courthouse. Your neighborhood page lists the courthouse that likely applies to you.

Our office is on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, and we work with couples throughout Los Angeles County, in person or by video. See our pages for the San Fernando Valley, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Burbank, Beverly Hills, West LA and East LA.