Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak it has been widely reported that the number of couples seeking divorce has risen, with the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic and being locked up together in the UK lockdown taking its toll on many married couples. But with the coronavirus also affecting courts, some experts believe there’ll be an increase in demand for family mediation in Epsom.
The length of time it can take to go through divorce proceedings and make them final varies, but the whole process takes around 18 months on average. And with the need for continued social distancing measures to remain in place, being unable to go through the courts quickly is leading couples to look at other ways to work through their problems to reach a resolution.
In a legal bulletin on the impact of COVID-19 on the courts last month, Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division of the High Court, stated: “It is unlikely that anything approaching a return to the normal court working environment will be achieved before the end of 2020 or even the spring of 2021.”
The Impact on Divorce
So what does the coronavirus’ impact on courts mean for couples who want to legally separate and use the services of solicitors in Epsom?
In a recent interview, Sara Davison, best known as The Divorce Coach, spoke out about ex-partners having to communicate outside of the court room: “People have been forced to try and find practical solutions and coping strategies to get them through this time—so already they are thinking with a more solutions-focussed mindset.”
And one possible way to move things along in the process of separation is to use a professional family mediation service.
What is Family Mediation?
Mediation is a way of sorting out differences between you and your ex-partner, with the help and support of an impartial third party, a ‘mediator’.
In mediation, you and your ex-partner can discuss any outstanding issues, but the most common areas to work through include finances, debt, property, pensions, parenting and children.
If it’s too difficult for you and your partner to be in the same room together, it’s possible for a mediator to communicate with you both separately. Even if you decide to enter into family mediation together, your mediator will speak to you both separately first.
What will the Mediator do?
The trained mediator won’t judge or take sides, but will listen to both points of view, suggest practical steps to help you, and try to guide you to reach agreement that you’re both happy with.
Our mediator, Keria Vyvyan-Robinson is a resolution trained mediator and specialist family law barrister with a Family Mediation Accreditation from the Law Society, and she’s passionate about helping couples and families find lasting solutions for everybody when a relationship breaks down.
Family Mediation in Epsom
If you want to pursue your legal separation right away, we can help you to get proceedings underway. Even in the midst of the UK lockdown and COVID-19 social distancing measures, our lawyers can work remotely by telephone and via video calls to ensure all of our services are available to you during the global pandemic.
