Legal and family matters · 10 guides
Mediator: problems and fixes, explained by John
John Polk is the only mediator member of BNI Preston Center. These guides are written for a Dallas–Fort Worth reader who has the problem right now: what is happening, what to check, when to call, and what it costs.
- You signed a mediated settlement agreement: what happens before the final decree The mediated settlement agreement ends the negotiation, not the paperwork. Here is how a signed agreement becomes a final decree, what you still have to do, and what can go wrong in between. From signature to signed decree, in briefWhy the agreement already binds youThe steps between mediation and the final orderWhen the drafting turns up a disagreement
- What divorce mediation costs in Dallas, and who pays the mediator There is no single price for divorce mediation, but the bill is driven by a handful of things you can control. Here is what you pay for, who usually pays it, and where help exists if money is tight. The short answer on priceWhat the mediator's fee actually buysFive things that make the bill bigger or smallerHow the fee is usually split
- The custody order no longer fits: mediating a modification instead of a new fight Children grow, parents move and incomes change, and the order written years ago stops fitting. Mediation can settle a modification without a new courtroom fight, if you understand what the court still requires. Yes, and it is often the better routeSigns the order you have has stopped workingWhat Texas requires before custody terms can changeWhat Texas requires before child support can change
- Six things people believe about divorce mediation that are not true Much of what people believe about mediation comes from television or a friend's bad experience. Here are six common beliefs, what Texas law actually says, and the mistakes that follow from them. Most of what people expect from mediation is wrongMyth one: the mediator is a kind of judgeMyth two: suggesting mediation signals weaknessMyth three: you can sign now and rethink it later
- Parenting facilitator or parenting coordinator: which one fits your family Both roles help co-parents who keep fighting after the orders are signed. The difference Texas law draws between them comes down to one word: confidential. The one difference that matters mostWho these roles are built forHow a parenting coordinator worksHow a parenting facilitator works
- Mediating with a high-conflict ex: when it can work and when it should not Hostility alone does not rule out mediation; many of the hardest cases settle with the right structure. Family violence is different, and Texas law gives you specific protections. High conflict and unsafe are not the same thingWhy the angriest cases still settleHow I keep a hostile session on trackYour right to object when there has been family violence
- Mediating a Texas divorce without lawyers: what works and what can go wrong Texas lets spouses mediate without lawyers, and for some couples it works. But the mediator cannot advise either of you, and the agreement you sign is very hard to undo. Yes, you can, but understand what you are giving upWhat a mediator can do for you, and what is off limitsWhen mediating on your own tends to workSituations where I would not go in without counsel
- Dallas County family courts and mediation: what the judge will expect before trial If your divorce or custody case is in a Dallas County family court, expect mediation to be part of the road to trial. Here is what Texas law allows, how local policies handle it and how to prepare. Expect mediation to be on the calendarWhat Texas law lets a family court doHow local court policies put it into practicePicking the mediator before the court does
- Before you book a family mediator: questions that show who can settle your case Mediators are not interchangeable. A few direct questions before you book will tell you whether this person can actually move your divorce or custody case to a signed agreement. What to find out before you commit to a mediatorTraining: the minimum Texas expects and what lies beyond itWhy years in family law matter more than years mediatingConflict checks and neutrality
- Your divorce or custody case has dragged on for a year: how mediation ends it Most family cases do not end in a courtroom. They end in a conference room, or on a Zoom call, when both sides decide the fight has cost enough. Here is how mediation works, what to bring, and how to tell whether your case is ready. Another hearing got reset, another invoice arrived, and nothing has changedWhy family cases get stuck and what mediation changesWhat to work out with yourself before the sessionWhen your case is ready for mediation, and when it is too soon