When two parties in a divorce mediation come to an agreement regarding the division of marital property, child/spousal support and child custody (if applicable) etc., and the mediation phase is finalized, your divorce mediator will draft the necessary court forms as well as your divorce settlement agreement.

You and your spouse will have the opportunity to review your divorce settlement agreement. It’s important both you and your spouse have a full clarification of what every portion of your divorce settlement agreement entails. Since a divorce mediator cannot give legal advice (they can only inform on the divorce process), it is highly recommended that each party receives their own independent counsel to both review agreements and receive their own legal opinions from before signing.

Receive Independent Counsel

When looking for your own individual attorney, you should select a Family Law lawyer and express your main concerns. The attorney should advise you on whether or not the divorce settlement agreement is meeting your best interests. The attorney should be one that supports settlement. If it seems like your attorney is attempting to sabotage your agreement and all your hard work in order to bring your case to trial, get an opinion from another attorney.

Visit Your Accountant

You should also review the financial agreement you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse came to with an accountant of your choice. It’s prudent to choose an accountant who is familiar with family law. There may be abundant tax ramifications surrounding your divorce, and it’s a good idea that you and your accountant sit down and go over your financial agreement for this reason. You may be a financially savvy person, but it can seriously help and relieve concerns to have an accountant at your side.

Signing and Filing

If you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse have met with your advisors and are still content with the divorce settlement agreement, it’s time to sign the agreement and have it filed with the courts. There’s no reason for you to show up in court – your divorce mediator can file your divorce settlement agreement in court without your presence.