Beverly Hills Child Custody Mediation


	Kathy Memel, Ph.D. Suite 100 420 South Beverly Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90212 (310) 286-9201 Info@DrKathyMemel.com

Child Custody Mediation

Mediation offers an objective viewpoint to help parents in understanding the emotional and developmental needs of their children.

Couples who attempt to resolve parenting difficulties are most successful when they have learned effective ways of communicating with each other.

The goal of mediation is to reach a mutually acceptable Parenting Plan for you and your child, or children, and to work cooperatively in the creation of options for parental consideration. The mediator does not make any decisions; the parents do.

All issues pertaining to the Parenting Plan are negotiated in good faith. Therefore, it is essential that both parents share all pertinent information in mediation. Most meetings are held with both parents and the mediator. At least one of the sessions, or a partial one, is held with each of the parents separately. The content of separate sessions and phone calls remain confidential.

Meetings are held until resolution is reached. A Parenting Plan Agreement is then prepared, signed by both parents, and filed with the court.

Nothing is signed unless both parents are in full agreement. Parents may also take the proposed agreement to their attorneys for review before signing or either parent's attorney may prepare and file the final agreement. Partial resolution may also be reached, with the remainder of issues to be resolved by independent counsel and the court.

The focus is on the best interest of the children. Working together, we reach agreements that.
- are appropriate to the age of the children
- provide the children access to both parents
- facilitate cooperative parenting

Focus on – The Children's' Best Interests
The primary focus during Child Custody mediation is on the best interest of the children. Working together, we will reach agreements that ...
•	are appropriate to the age of the children
•	provide the children access to both parents
•	facilitate cooperative parenting



	Child Custody & Divorce It Doesn't Have To Be A Battle Disputes over the highly-emotional issues of child custody and visitation can turn divorce proceedings into prolonged, bitter conflicts that intensify the anger, frustration and stress for all involved. Parents can lose sight of what is best for their children when confronted with accusations, acrimony and fears arising from the loss of family and daily contact with their children. If not handled properly, these conflicts can cause a range of behavioral problems that will impact the children throughout their lives. In many cases, these inflamed emotional issues draw attorneys into areas which they have neither the time nor psychological training to address fully. Fortunately, there is an alternative, cooperative means to resolve such conflicts out-of-court for the benefit of all - parents, children and attorneys. In the state of California, the "Mandatory Mediation Law" requires that mediation must take place by either private or court-appointed mediators before any contested custody or visitation dispute comes before a judicial officer. Mediators bring their professional expertise to deal with highly-charged emotional issues in an effective, efficient, non-adversarial manner. Barring cases involving abuse, they can-and do-help parents create a parenting plan that works for their family.