You walk away with a signed agreement that holds up in court. No judge deciding what’s best for your kids without knowing your family. No public record of your private business. No burning through your savings on attorney fees while waiting months for a court date.
Mediation gives you control. You and your co-parent make the decisions about custody schedules, holiday arrangements, and support payments. We facilitate the conversation and help you find common ground, but the final say is yours.
Most families in Frances finish mediation in a fraction of the time it takes to get through the court system. That means less disruption for your kids, less money spent, and less emotional exhaustion. You get a parenting plan that actually fits your life instead of a cookie-cutter order from a judge who’s never met you.
We bring over 45 years of combined family law experience to Frances families. One of our mediators is board-certified in family law—a distinction held by less than one percent of California attorneys. The other trained at Pepperdine’s Straus Institute, one of the top dispute resolution programs in the country.
That background matters when you’re dividing assets, calculating support, or creating custody arrangements. We understand the law and we’ve seen what works long-term. Families across Orange County choose us because we combine legal expertise with a flat-fee pricing model that removes billing surprises.
Frances residents don’t need to drive far for quality mediation. We serve your community with the same confidential, impartial approach that’s helped hundreds of families reach amicable settlements without courtroom drama.
You start with a free consultation where we explain how mediation works and answer your questions. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just information so you can decide if this approach fits your situation.
If you move forward, we schedule your first session. Both parties attend, and we create ground rules for respectful communication. We identify the issues you need to resolve—custody schedules, child support, property division, spousal support, whatever applies to your case.
Each session focuses on one or two topics. We help you share your concerns, understand each other’s priorities, and explore options you might not have considered. When you reach agreement on an issue, we document it. Most families need three to five sessions depending on complexity.
Once everything’s resolved, we prepare a written agreement. You can have attorneys review it before signing. Then it gets filed with the court and becomes your official order. The whole process typically takes weeks, not months or years.
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Child custody mediation covers parenting time schedules, decision-making authority, holiday rotations, and vacation planning. We help you build parenting plans that reduce conflict and prioritize your children’s stability. That includes school schedules, extracurricular activities, and how you’ll handle changes as kids get older.
Child support and spousal support mediation addresses financial obligations based on California guidelines and your specific circumstances. We walk through income calculations, tax implications, and duration of support. For families with businesses, we handle family business mediation that protects both the enterprise and fair division of marital assets.
Property division covers your house, retirement accounts, vehicles, debts, and everything else accumulated during marriage. We also provide post-judgment mediation when circumstances change and you need to modify existing orders. Communication coaching is available for high-conflict situations where you need tools to co-parent effectively.
Frances families dealing with extended family disputes—grandparent visitation, inheritance conflicts, or family business succession—benefit from our alternative dispute resolution approach. Everything stays confidential, and you avoid the public exposure of family court.
Mediation typically costs between $3,000 and $7,000 total for both parties combined. That covers all sessions and the final agreement. Court litigation often runs $15,000 to $50,000 per person, sometimes more if your case goes to trial.
The difference comes down to billable hours. Attorneys charge for every phone call, email, court appearance, and document review. Those hours add up fast over months or years of litigation. Mediation uses flat fees, so you know the cost upfront.
You also save on indirect costs. Less time off work for court dates. Lower stress that affects your health and job performance. Faster resolution means you’re not paying two households longer than necessary. For most Frances families, mediation delivers the same legally binding result for a fraction of the price.
Yes. Most people come to mediation precisely because they’re not communicating well. That’s normal during separation and divorce. High conflict doesn’t disqualify you from mediation—it’s actually one of the best reasons to choose it over litigation.
We control the conversation flow and keep things productive. If direct communication isn’t working, we use caucus sessions where we meet with each party separately. We shuttle information back and forth until you reach agreement. You don’t have to be in the same room the entire time.
Litigation makes conflict worse by putting you in an adversarial system where attorneys argue your positions in court. Mediation teaches communication skills you’ll need for years of co-parenting. We provide coaching on how to discuss difficult topics without escalating. Many families report better communication after mediation than before, which benefits everyone long-term.
Your mediated agreement gets filed with the court and becomes a legally enforceable order. It carries the same weight as any judge’s ruling. If your ex violates the order, you have the same enforcement options you’d have with a litigated judgment.
That includes filing for contempt of court, which can result in fines or other penalties. For child support or spousal support violations, you can pursue wage garnishment. For custody violations, you can seek makeup time or modification of the parenting plan.
The advantage of mediation is that people tend to follow agreements they helped create. When a judge imposes orders, parties often feel resentful and look for ways around them. When you’ve both participated in crafting the solution, there’s more buy-in and compliance. But if enforcement becomes necessary, your mediated agreement gives you the same legal tools as any other court order.
Most families complete mediation in four to eight weeks. Simple cases with few assets and agreed-upon custody arrangements might finish in three sessions over three weeks. Complex cases involving business valuations, multiple properties, or high-conflict custody issues might take three months.
Compare that to litigation, which typically takes 12 to 18 months minimum in Orange County family courts. If your case goes to trial, add another six months to a year. Court calendars are backlogged, and you’re at the mercy of scheduling availability for judges, attorneys, and courtrooms.
Mediation moves at your pace. You schedule sessions when both parties are available, usually weekly or biweekly. There’s no waiting for court dates or continuances. Once you reach agreement, the paperwork gets filed immediately. You’re not waiting months for a trial date to finalize what you’ve already decided.
You don’t need separate attorneys during mediation, but you can have them review the agreement before you sign. Many people choose this hybrid approach—mediate to save money and time, then have an attorney do a final review for a few hundred dollars.
Our mediators are both attorneys with extensive family law experience, including board certification. We can explain legal standards, calculate support according to California guidelines, and ensure your agreement complies with state law. We can’t represent either party or give individual legal advice, but we provide legal information that helps you make informed decisions.
Some people feel more comfortable having their own attorney from the start. That’s fine. You can still mediate with attorney support. Your lawyer can coach you between sessions and review proposals. It still costs far less than full litigation because the attorneys aren’t fighting in court—they’re supporting a collaborative process.
You can resolve some issues through mediation and litigate the rest. Many families mediate custody and support successfully but need a judge to decide on complex property division. Partial agreements still save time and money compared to litigating everything.
Nothing you say in mediation can be used against you in court later. California law protects mediation confidentiality. If you end up in litigation, you start fresh without either side bringing up mediation discussions. That protection encourages honest negotiation without fear of creating evidence for trial.
Most families do reach full agreement. We’re trained in conflict resolution and have decades of experience finding creative solutions. We help you identify interests beneath positions and explore options you might not see on your own. Even high-conflict couples usually find enough common ground to settle, especially when they understand the alternative costs of litigation.
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