You walk away with a legally binding agreement that actually works. No more wondering what a judge might decide about your family’s future. No more burning through your savings on attorney fees that could have gone toward your children’s college fund or your fresh start.
The agreement covers everything—custody schedules that make sense for your work life, support arrangements that reflect real numbers, and property division that doesn’t leave anyone bitter. Your kids see parents who can still talk to each other respectfully, which matters more than you might realize right now.
Most importantly, you’re done. While other couples are still fighting in courtrooms months later, you’re already moving forward with clarity and confidence.
Level Dispute Resolution brings over 25 years of family law expertise to Riverview families facing difficult transitions. Founded by Daniel C. Hunter IV, a board-certified family law specialist—a distinction held by less than one percent of California attorneys—we combine legal precision with genuine understanding of what families need during divorce.
Orange County families choose Level Dispute Resolution because we understand local court systems, local judges, and what actually works in this area. We’ve seen how traditional litigation tears families apart and costs fortunes, which is exactly why we focus exclusively on mediation and collaborative solutions.
Our team includes certified mediators trained through Pepperdine’s renowned Straus Institute, ensuring every session is handled with both professional skill and personal compassion.
The process starts with a free consultation where you discuss your situation without pressure or obligation. This isn’t a sales pitch—it’s a genuine conversation about whether mediation fits your specific circumstances and what you can realistically expect.
If you decide to move forward, you’ll meet in a comfortable, private setting where both spouses can speak openly. We guide the conversation, keep things productive, and help you work through the tough decisions about custody, support, and property division. Most couples complete the process in 2-4 sessions over several weeks.
Between sessions, you’ll have time to review proposals, consult with advisors if needed, and make sure you’re comfortable with the direction. Once you reach agreement, we prepare comprehensive legal documents that get filed with the court. You’re officially divorced without ever stepping into a courtroom or facing off against your spouse’s attorney.
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Your mediation includes comprehensive dispute resolution for all aspects of your divorce—child custody and visitation schedules, child and spousal support calculations, and complete property division. You also get access to Level Dispute Resolution’s network of professionals including forensic accountants, appraisers, and child specialists when complex issues arise.
The service includes preparation of all legal documents, court filing assistance, and follow-up support if questions come up after your agreement is finalized. Everything operates under strict confidentiality, so your private matters stay private.
For Riverview families, this local expertise matters. Orange County has specific court procedures, local rules, and judicial preferences that affect how agreements get structured and approved. Level Dispute Resolution knows these nuances and builds them into every agreement, preventing problems that could surface later and require expensive fixes.
Mediation typically costs $3,000 to $7,000 total for both spouses combined, while traditional divorce litigation runs $15,000 to $30,000 per person. That means a litigated divorce could cost your family $30,000 to $60,000, compared to under $7,000 for mediation.
Level Dispute Resolution uses transparent flat-fee pricing, so you know exactly what you’ll pay upfront. No surprise bills, no hourly charges that add up when discussions take longer than expected. The savings aren’t just financial—you avoid months of stress, court appearances, and the emotional toll that litigation takes on your entire family.
Most couples complete mediation in 2-4 sessions over 6-12 weeks, depending on the complexity of their situation and how well they can communicate initially. Compare that to traditional litigation, which averages 19 months in California and often stretches longer when couples can’t agree.
The timeline depends partly on you. Couples who come prepared with financial documents and clear priorities move faster. Those dealing with complex businesses, multiple properties, or high-conflict custody issues may need additional sessions. But even complicated cases typically resolve in 3-6 months through mediation, while the same cases could take years in court.
California’s mandatory 6-month waiting period still applies, but your agreement can be finalized and signed well before that period expires.
Professional mediators are trained to help couples work through impasses, and most issues that seem impossible initially do get resolved with the right approach. Sometimes it’s a matter of reframing the problem, exploring creative solutions, or taking a break to let emotions settle.
If you truly can’t agree on specific issues, you have options. You might resolve 90% of your divorce through mediation and take just the unresolved issues to court, saving significant time and money. Or you might pause mediation, consult with individual attorneys, and return to the table with better understanding of your positions.
The key advantage is that mediation doesn’t lock you into anything. If it’s not working, you haven’t lost anything except the relatively small cost of trying. But statistics show that over 80% of couples who start mediation do reach full agreement.
Mediation is often especially valuable when children are involved because it helps parents learn to communicate effectively about their kids’ needs. Research consistently shows that ongoing conflict between parents is the most damaging factor for children during divorce—more harmful than the divorce itself.
Mediation focuses on creating parenting plans that actually work for your family’s schedule, your children’s activities, and both parents’ work commitments. Instead of a judge who meets your family for 20 minutes making decisions about your children’s daily life, you craft arrangements that reflect your kids’ real needs and personalities.
The process also models problem-solving and cooperation for your children. When they see parents working together respectfully to resolve differences, it provides security during an already difficult transition and sets the foundation for successful co-parenting long-term.
Many people are initially skeptical about mediation, especially if they’ve been told by friends or family that they need to “fight” for what’s theirs. The reality is that California law requires equal division of community property and bases support on established guidelines, so the outcomes in mediation versus court are often very similar.
The difference is that mediation lets you control the process and timing, while court puts a stranger in charge of your family’s future. Most spouses become more open to mediation once they understand the cost savings, time efficiency, and privacy benefits.
If your spouse is hesitant, the free consultation can help address their concerns. Sometimes hearing from a neutral professional about how mediation actually works—and what litigation really costs in time, money, and emotional energy—changes their perspective completely.
Level Dispute Resolution is led by board-certified family law specialists, a distinction held by less than one percent of attorneys in California. This means we have extensive courtroom experience and deep knowledge of how judges actually rule on family law cases, which informs every mediation session.
Our team combines legal expertise with specialized mediation training from Pepperdine’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. We understand both the law and the psychology of helping couples navigate difficult conversations productively.
Most importantly, we offer transparent flat-fee pricing and access to a full network of professionals—forensic accountants, appraisers, child specialists—when complex issues arise. You’re not just getting a mediator; you’re getting a complete support system designed to resolve your case efficiently and permanently.
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