What is a Settlement Agreement?

Many clients ask me, “What is a settlement agreement or a separation agreement?” When couples come to me to begin mediation, it is because they need to work through a few contested issues and wish to avoid litigation. Some of the issues they may need to resolve include child custody and visitation, issues related to assets, who’s going to be living in the house, and what happens to the pension account. The variety of issues depends on your particular situation. When all issues are resolved, they’re written into a document called a separation agreement.

When settlement agreements are reached as a result of the mediation process, this usually means that the parties involved in the process did not have to go to court to determine what the settlement would be. When parties go through mediation, it is generally less expensive than reaching an agreement through the litigation process because you just have to pay for the one mediator and not for two separate attorneys.

Judith Goldberg is an experienced and effective Boca Raton, Florida mediator serving Palm Beach and Broward County. If you need a compassionate mediator to guide you through your family law matter, contact our Boca Raton office for a free consultation.