Litigation is a last resort. Even if the court rules your way, a lawsuit depletes precious financial resources and creates resentments that may come back to haunt you. It also puts important decisions about your family and your future in the hands of a stranger.

I am Angela Hansen, a family law attorney who is certified in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). I encourage mediation of custody disputes, property division and other contested matters in divorce and family law.

My Rockville law practice, Hansen Legal & Mediation Services, PC, regularly mediates for clients near Rockville and throughout Montgomery County, Maryland.

"Before You Accuse Me ..."
Exploring Mediation As An Alternative To Litigation

If I have not been retained by either spouse in contested matters, I can serve as a neutral third party to help couples iron out their differences. The role of a mediator is to zero in on the core disputes, facilitate practical solutions and keep the discussion civil and productive. At the end of mediation sessions, I can draft the custody agreement or separation agreement for submission to the Montgomery County Family Court.

Mediation has countless advantages over contested courtroom proceedings:

• It's quicker. You are not waiting for a crowded court docket.
• It's cheaper. You are paying just one lawyer, not two opposing lawyers.
• It's less adversarial. No mind games or badmouthing the other parent.
• It's lasting. Mediated agreements are less likely to be ignored or litigated.
• You control the outcome, not a judge or custody evaluator.

Montgomery County Divorce Mediation Attorney

Mediation is not appropriate in every situation. It requires a spirit of compromise and mutual respect. If the other party is manipulative or abusive or disengaged, it may be necessary to go to court.

To discuss alternative dispute resolution with a Rockville family law mediation attorney, call (301) 517-5729 for a free consultation, or contact me online.