THE COST OF MEDIATION AT OUR OFFICE
The mediation sessions cost $250 per hour, divided into tenths of an hour, payable at the end of each session. Thus, for example, for 3 mediation sessions of one and one-half to two hours each, the cost would be in the range of $1,250 and $1,500.  There is no retainer fee.

In any divorce, the spouses must pay court costs. However, the ordinary court costs of $640 ($320 for each spouse) in our mediation, is reduced to $320 [which the spouses may split] as we submit the case under the Los Angeles Superior Court Hybrid Default program, which requires only one spouse to file. No one goes to court at any time.

In addition, when the mediation sessions have been completed, the spouses are asked to make a deposit to the mediator's trust account for preparation of the Marital Settlement Agreement (MSA), making any changes that the spouses may decide to make to the MSA, and for preparation of the Judgment and related documents and filing with the court.  Any part of the deposit not used is refunded.

THE COST OF A LITIGATED DIVORCE CASE
Former Judge Roderic Duncan, who spent a decade deciding which spouse would receive custody, support and assets in Family Law Courts of Oakland, has written a book called "A Judge's Guide to Divorce: Uncommon Advice from the Bench." The book shows how traditional divorce brings out the worst in people and that contentious divorces easily can cost $100,000 in attorney fees and the outcome is rarely as good as when couples sit down and cooperate, Duncan said. Los Angeles Times, Sunday March 4, 2007, page C3, Personal Finance, by Kathy M. Kristof, Times Staff Writer


THE COST OF COLLABORATIVE DIVORCE
Each party hires a lawyer, but both sides agree that the lawyers will be used to help settle the dispute rather than litigate it. In some cases, the lawyers will suggest that both parties also hire other experts, such as psychologists and financial planners, to help understand the repercussions of their actions.

The cost: If the process is successful, the fees usually run $15,000 to $30,000, experts say. But if one party breaks the agreement and opts to file in court, the attorneys on both sides quit and the entire divorce process must start over. Los Angeles Times, Sunday March 4, 2007, page C3, Personal Finance, by Kathy M. Kristof, Times Staff Writer

THE COST OF DO-IT-YOURSELF DIVORCE/ USE OF FORMS SERVICES
The spouses can go to divorce court without attorneys and without any knowledge of Family Law, which can result in confusion and serious and costly errors, including even whether or not the marriage has actually been terminated. See "Do-it-Yourself Divorce Doesn't Always Sever Ties," by Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, January 1, 2007