Real Life Example of a Mediation

Jenny wanted to get a divorce after 15 years of marriage. Her husband, Ben, just wasn’t the guy she married and she no longer wanted to be with him. Jenny was a nurse and Ben was a golf pro who worked at a local resort. So…what does Jenny do? She saw all the scary numbers about how a divorce could cost $10,000 or more. She and Ben lived in a nice house and both wanted to stay there. How could they make that work? They argued and argued about who gets the house. Jenny called Best Mediation and set up an appointment for her and Ben. They were both given some paperwork to fill out before they came to the video conference. Once they were introduced to the mediator and the mediation process, the hard discussions began. After listening to both sides separately. the mediator figured out a solution. Ben had had the mistaken idea that if he left the house, he would lose his children. Jenny wanted the house because it was close to her mom and sister. Ben never really liked the house because it had no man cave and he hated the formal dining room. So, Jenny and Ben were able to financially split the house: Jenny would buy out Ben’s equity over time, Jenny would refinance or sell within 6 months, Ben and Jenny would share the children 50/50 and Ben would find new housing in the children’s school district. They were both happy. They did not go to court. They saved a ton of money. It was minimal stress. The attorney helped them with their paperwork. All the other issues were resolved peacefully. In fact, Jenny was fine with Ben taking the boat since she was keeping the house….it all worked out and was a win win for the family. If they had gone to court, a judge could not have fashioned this solution…a judge would only be able to order the house sold most likely…a solution that neither Jenny or Ben wanted. So, they were grateful that the mediator was able to get to the heart of the matter and find a solution for them.