Demetria Graves | September 8, 2025 | Family Law
Mediation can reduce the time and expense of divorce and other family matters involving litigation. This process uses a neutral third-party mediator who guides the parties to reach an out-of-court settlement. A lawyer can assist you with this process, advise you on how different decisions will impact your legal rights, and present evidence to support your position.
Preparing for a consultation for family law mediation can help you be better positioned in the matter. This article provides guidance on how to prepare for your family law mediation consultation in Pasadena, CA.
Gather Documentation and Information
Begin by gathering documentation and information about you, your spouse or partner, and your children.
You can bring any of the following to your consultation:
- Legal names
- Contact information, including phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses
- Places of employment
- Birthdates
- Date of marriage and separation, if applicable
- Bank statements
- Credit card account statements
- Retirement account statements
- Tax returns for the last few years
- Birth certificates and Social Security cards
- Academic records
- Employment records, contracts, and check stubs
- Your monthly budget
- Your bills
Keep this information in an organized file so you can provide it to the lawyer during your consultation when they request it.
Make a List of Questions
Prepare a list of questions you would like answered during your consultation.
Examples might include:
- How can you help with my case?
- What is mediation?
- What experience do you have with cases like mine?
- What is your track record of success in cases like mine?
- How long will my case take?
- How will you assist me during mediation?
- How much do you charge for your services?
- How is mediation paid for?
- Who will be at the mediation?
- What are the benefits of mediation?
- Is my case appropriate for mediation?
- What can I do to prepare for mediation?
- What is the difference between alimony and spousal support?
This initial consultation can be valuable and give you unique insight into the mediation process. It can also alleviate stress and give you a better idea about your legal rights throughout this process.
Consider Your Objectives
Before participating in mediation, it’s essential that you carefully consider what you want out of the process.
Possible goals may be:
- Joint child custody or a custody arrangement that gives both parents liberal amounts of time with the children
- An amount of child support that deviates from the guidelines due to exceptional circumstances
- Property that will help you have a more secure financial future or that holds particular sentimental value
- A division of debt that alleviates some of the burden from you
- A certain amount of alimony or spousal support
- A faster divorce process so you can move on to a new relationship or chapter in your life
By being clear about your goals, your family law attorney will be better positioned to explain how they can help and give you clearer expectations. This also allows you to better evaluate if you and the attorney are on the same page.
Contact The Graves Law Firm for a Confidential Consultation With a Pasadena Family Law Attorney
An initial consultation is a good opportunity to meet with a lawyer, get to know them, and experience what it would be like to work with them on a regular basis. A mediation consultation can allow you to ask questions to better understand the mediation process and how your Pasadena family law attorney could assist with your goals.
Contact The Graves Law Firm today at (626) 365-1037 for your confidential consultation with our Pasadena family law lawyers to get to know us and learn how we can guide you throughout the legal process.
For more information, please contact our experienced family law attorneys at The Graves Law Firm for a consultation today. We’ll be happy to assist you.
The Graves Law Firm Pasadena
1055 E Colorado Blvd #500a, Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 365-1037
Open 24 hrs.