Practice Areas

Mediation

Family Law Mediation
Charleston, West Virginia

Family Law Mediation –
Preserving Working Relationships
Mediation is an extremely valuable tool in family law and divorce. It can be used as a cost-effective alternative to litigation that benefits both the parties to any legal dispute, but it is especially helpful in areas where the parties to the disagreement need to maintain a long-term working relationship once the problem is resolved.

The law office of Julia Shalhoup in Charleston, West Virginia, offers experienced and caring family law mediation. Ms. Shalhoup is a certified mediator in addition to an attorney, and she is a strong supporter of both mediation and collaborative law.

Our office supports the use of family law mediation to resolve issues because it has many advantages over traditional litigation, including:

• Decreased time and effort to resolve a legal issue
• Decreased emotional distress
• Saves time and money
• Preservation of working relationships

We have litigated hundreds of issues of family law over the last dozen years. Despite our efforts and those of the judiciary, there is no guarantee that the time, effort, and expense of a court battle will sufficiently resolve an issue of family law.

Mediation provides a real alternative to litigation and can have favorable results for all parties involved. In mediation, a neutral third party sets specific rules for a controlled negotiation. The parties sit down with each other and work out their own resolution to all of the issues that are important to them, and the mediator helps formalize this resolution. It can be used to successfully resolve issues of child support, child custody, visitation, spousal support, and property division.

Why Hire a Lawyer as Your Mediator?
Although when she is acting as a mediator, Ms. Shalhoup cannot also act as your lawyer, it is helpful that she has a legal background and experience with enforceable agreements. In family law, many solutions are not considered acceptable, such as trading increased child support for more visitation or giving up parental rights in exchange for a reduced responsibilities. Julia Shalhoup will be able to advise the parties when their proposed settlement would not be enforceable in court.

How Does Mediation Differ from Collaborative Law?
Mediation differs from collaborative law in that in mediation, a neutral party that facilitates discussion and resolution of a legal issue. In contrast, the parties to collaborative law both have lawyers who can advise them of their rights. Whether or not mediation or collaborative law is right for you depends on your individual circumstances.

Find out more about family law mediation with Julia Shalhoup by calling (304) 345-4455, or fill out an online contact form to provide her with more information.

To find out more about family law issues in general, please see our Family Law Information Center or our Frequently Asked Questions About Family Law.