You and your spouse meet in East Setauket with the mediator, Dr. Gladys Rothbell, for afternoon or evening sessions that usually last two hours. During that time we mediate all of the special issues of your divorce, as well as any additional issues that you might not have thought of or on which the law requires agreement.
You provide the mediator with financial information, including income, assets, liabilities and monthly expenses. Based on this information, we negotiate what you believe to be a fair financial settlement.
If there are minor children, you will also need to negotiate child support, custody, parenting plans, health insurance and higher education plans.
The mediator will:
• Work with you as an impartial, trained, and knowledgeable third party
• Help you to become informed about the possibilities for resolution
• Encourage constructive discussion about your own needs as well as the needs of your spouse and your children
• Provide professional guidance for parenting plans that are in the best interests of children
During this process if any unusual legal questions arise, the attorney, Sheldon Rothbell, will advise regarding the relevant law. He will not represent either one of you against the other.
Once you have agreement on all of the issues, the mediator provides the information to the attorney and he prepares a draft of your Marital Settlement Agreement. A final copy of your Agreement is prepared after you review the draft. If you have decided to go directly for a divorce, the attorney will also prepare the divorce court papers and file them with the court.
If you have decided on a Separation, he will file your Agreement with the Court, and convert it into a divorce later, if and when you choose to do so. If other special legal papers, such as deed transfers, are required, the attorney can process those for you.