St. Paul Legal Team Emphasizing Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Services

Getting Better Outcomes Faster

Traditional methods of marriage dissolution are based on court proceedings that can be costly, lengthy and prone to bitterness. Despite these drawbacks, a traditional court proceeding is an effective way to resolve difficult disputes. However, alternative methods of dispute resolution have become more popular over the past 30 years and are now used to reach prompt and cost-effective agreements. Our approach at the Huson Law Firm, PLLC, has always emphasized providing the most effective representation at the least cost. This is why we insist on using the best methods. In many cases, that’s a form of alternative dispute resolution.

The most common alternatives we offer to traditional divorce are mediation and Early Neutral Evaluations (ENEs). We use these methods within the first two months of filing a divorce petition, and have helped guide many cases toward early and agreeable resolutions that have left the parties on friendly terms.

Mediation

Divorce mediation in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area aims to get a mutual agreement for all the issues in a divorce. The mediator’s role is only to facilitate the discussion and not to offer a judgment on any of the issues.

At the Huson Law Firm, we fully prepare our clients for the mediation process. We’ve found that with a command of the facts and methodical preparation, our clients have the best chance at reaching a good mediation result — saving time, money and establishing new routes of communication so both parties can perform their agreed duties in a considerate and respectful manner.

Early Neutral Evaluations

ENEs are an evaluative process that requires attorneys to present the core of their clients’ arguments to a neutral third party. Since this occurs prior to the discovery process, a settlement at this stage can save significant time and expense. However, unlike mediation, the third-party evaluator(s) offers his or her assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each party’s case. Depending on the issues involved, Minnesota offers two separate types of ENEs:

• Financial ENEs — When financial issues are in dispute, only one evaluator’s assessment is often helpful in arriving at a settlement agreement.
• Custody ENEs — Custody issues are presented to two evaluators. If a settlement is not reached, the evaluators try to narrow the issues so that the trial phase is more focused.

Our St. Paul Lawyers Can Help You Through Mediation Or ENEs

At the Huson Law Firm, PLLC, we know that a difficult process doesn’t have to be further complicated by a formal adversarial proceeding. We’ve successfully helped clients in the St. Paul area achieve great results through mediation and other alternative methods of dispute resolution. Call 651-968-0822 or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation. Let us help you find a way to a good start at a new life.