Mediation is required in nearly every case where the parties cannot agree to an allocation of parental responsibilities, in other words, who gets what parenting time and who makes what decisions for the children. During mediation the spouses will sit down with a mediator, who may or may not be an attorney, and the mediator will try to get them to agree on as many disputed issues as possible. Mediation is only required by Illinois law to assist in resolving child custody disputes, not financial disputes. Illinois law prioritizes resolving child custody disputes to minimize the potential harm they have on the children.
Whatever is said in mediation is not admissible in court because courts want to encourage dialogue and settlement. If one person were concerned that the other would use what was said during mediation against him/her in court then people would be less likely to talk during mediation.
The Botti Law Firm, P.C. has been serving DuPage and Cook County residents for nearly 50 years. We have vast experience handling cases involving divorce. If you would like to speak to one of our experienced attorneys, please email us or call (630) 573-8585 to schedule a free consultation.
