You walk away with a legally binding agreement that actually works for your family. No more wondering what a judge who doesn’t know you will decide about your kids or your assets.
Your divorce is final in six months instead of dragging on for years. You’ve saved tens of thousands of dollars that can go toward your new life instead of attorney fees.
Most importantly, you and your ex can still sit at the same soccer game without tension. Your children see two parents who found a way to disagree respectfully and move forward.
We’ve been helping Orange County families navigate divorce without destroying each other for years. We’re not just trained in family law—we understand the unique pressures facing Main Street families.
Our mediators are certified specialists who’ve seen what happens when divorce turns ugly. We know the local courts, the typical timelines, and exactly what it takes to create agreements that stick.
We chose mediation because we believe families deserve better than the adversarial system that pits parents against each other when they should be focused on moving forward.
First, we meet with both of you to understand your situation and explain exactly how mediation works. No surprises, no hidden fees—just a clear roadmap of what comes next.
Then we work through each issue methodically: custody schedules, support payments, property division, and anything else that needs resolving. We facilitate the conversations but you make the decisions.
Once you’ve reached agreements on everything, we draft the legal documents and file them with the court. Six months later, your divorce is final and you can both move on with your lives.
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Every mediation includes comprehensive support for all aspects of your divorce. We handle child custody arrangements, spousal support calculations, and property division—all the complex stuff that usually requires expensive attorneys.
In Main Street, we see a lot of families dealing with California’s community property laws and the complexity of dividing retirement accounts and real estate. We know how these issues play out locally and can guide you through the specifics.
You also get our transparent flat-fee pricing structure. Unlike traditional attorneys who bill by the hour, you know exactly what you’ll pay upfront. No surprise bills, no meter running while you’re trying to make important decisions about your family’s future.
Divorce mediation typically costs between $3,000 and $8,000 total, while a traditional contested divorce in California averages $15,000 to $30,000 or more. The savings come from avoiding lengthy court battles, reducing attorney fees, and resolving issues faster.
Our flat-fee structure means you know your costs upfront—no hourly billing that adds up while you’re trying to make difficult decisions. Most of our clients save at least $10,000 compared to litigation, money that can go toward starting their new lives instead of legal fees.
The cost difference becomes even more dramatic if your case involves complex assets or extended court proceedings, which can push litigation costs well above $50,000.
Most mediated divorces in California can be completed in 6-8 months, compared to 15-19 months for traditional litigation. California has a mandatory 6-month waiting period from when papers are served, so mediation allows you to finalize everything right at that minimum timeframe.
The actual mediation sessions typically require 4-8 meetings, depending on the complexity of your situation and how well you can work together. We schedule these around your availability, not a crowded court calendar.
If you have straightforward finances and can agree on custody arrangements relatively easily, some couples complete the entire process in just a few months of active work, then wait for the legal waiting period to expire.
Most couples do reach full agreements through mediation, but if you get stuck on certain issues, you have options. You can take a break and return to mediation later, seek individual legal advice on specific points, or resolve some issues through mediation and take others to court.
Even partial agreements save time and money. If you resolve custody and support through mediation but need a judge to decide about the house, you’ve still avoided most of the litigation costs and stress.
We’re skilled at helping couples work through seemingly impossible disagreements by focusing on underlying interests rather than positions. Often what looks like a dealbreaker is actually a communication problem that can be solved.
Mediation requires both parties to participate voluntarily and communicate safely. If there’s been domestic violence, mediation may not be appropriate because it assumes both people can negotiate on equal footing.
However, some cases involving past emotional or financial abuse can still work in mediation with proper safeguards—separate arrival times, shuttle mediation where parties stay in different rooms, or other accommodations to ensure safety.
Your safety is the top priority. We’ll have an honest conversation about whether mediation makes sense for your specific situation, and we’ll never pressure anyone to participate if there are safety concerns or significant power imbalances.
We cannot provide legal advice to either party—we remain neutral throughout the process. However, many couples complete mediation without hiring separate attorneys, especially in straightforward cases.
You always have the right to consult with your own attorney at any point during mediation. Some people choose to have attorneys review the final agreement before signing, which is perfectly fine and often smart for complex financial situations.
In California, if you have a simple case with limited assets and no children, you might not need individual attorneys at all. For more complex situations involving businesses, significant assets, or complicated custody issues, consulting with attorneys can provide valuable peace of mind.
Mediation only works if both people participate willingly. You can’t force someone into mediation, and it won’t be effective if one person is just going through the motions under pressure.
Sometimes initial resistance comes from misunderstanding what mediation involves. We offer informational consultations where both parties can learn about the process without committing to anything. Once people understand the benefits—lower costs, faster resolution, more control—many become more open to trying it.
If your spouse absolutely refuses mediation, you still have traditional divorce options. But it’s worth having the conversation about mediation’s benefits, especially if you have children together and want to preserve your ability to co-parent effectively after divorce.
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