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Services Provided

Mediation

Mediation

Mediation is a confidential, nonadversarial process, where the parties work with a mutually chosen neutral, the mediator, to assist them in the resolution of their conflict. Mediation is an effective tool for minimizing conflict, reducing court costs, and preserving the parties’ relationship, which is particularly important for coparents. The process can be used to resolve all types of family law disputes, including complicated, multi-issue divorce cases, legitimation cases, modification of prior child custody and/or child support orders, and crafting plans where a party has been unable to fulfill their obligations of a prior court order or agreement and may be facing contempt of court. The end product of the mediation process is a Mediated Agreement, prepared by the mediator and signed by the parties.
 
Alice’s Process: Mediation sessions will be scheduled in three-hour blocks of time via Zoom. Prior to the first session, Alice will send Mediation Guidelines for each party to review and sign. These guidelines set the ground rules for the mediation. The first session is primarily spent gathering information and identifying contested issues. If possible, the parties and Alice will remain together in the same “room.” Mediation deals with deeply personal issues and can be emotionally difficult at times, so, if needed, Alice will create breakout rooms and will meet with the parties separately. Cases involving domestic violence will always only use breakout rooms.
 
Subsequent sessions will be used to discuss possible outcomes and to move the parties toward consensus. The number of sessions depends upon the complexity of the issues and the stamina of each of the parties.
 
The process outlined here is designed for parties who have not yet filed a petition with the court and are seeking a resolution without litigation. Attorneys may be present but are not required. If a case has been filed with the court and you would like for Alice to be your mediator, please have your attorneys contact Alice to make arrangements.
 
Divorce Mediation Tips: It is helpful to prepare by identifying financial and retirement accounts and having statements available. The parties should be prepared with the estimated fair market value of property, including homes, vehicles, boats, etc., as well as statements for the balances of any mortgages and/or liens. Spousal support may be an issue to discuss. Where children are involved, issues regarding custody, parenting time and support will be discussed. The parties’ incomes and expenses will be part of these discussions, so it is important to be prepared with that information.
 
Modification/Contempt Tip: Please send any prior orders to Alice in advance of the mediation session. It is helpful to be prepared with your income and financial information.
 
Fees: Alice charges $400 per hour for mediation services. Unless other payment arrangements are made in advance, prior to each three-hour session, an invoice will be sent via LawPay to each party for $600.00 ($1,200.00) total. Payment must be made prior to the beginning of the session. Refunds for unused time are considered on a case-by-case basis.
 
Scheduling: Please email alice@limehousefamilymediation.com with both parties copied. 

Parent Coordinator

Parent Coordinator

High conflict coparents could benefit from the use of a parent coordinator as a buffer to diffuse disagreements and to help with decision making. Parent coordination is not considered a confidential process.

 

A parent coordinator has five general functions:

  1. Assist parents in implementing the custody/visitation court order on an ongoing basis.

  2. Teach communication skills, ideas about child development and/or children’s issues in divorce. 

  3. Work toward both parents effectively establishing and maintaining ongoing relationships with the child(ren). 

  4. Make decisions about non-fundamental visitation/parenting disputes when parents cannot reach an agreement that would resolve a conflict.

  5. May provide regular progress reports to the court, parties and attorneys; and may testify in Court: providing assessments and conclusions about parenting concerns which were the cause for the referral.

 

The following are examples of disputes that may be submitted to a parent coordinator:

  • Any disputes about parenting time, including but not limited to changes in the regular schedule, parental access for special occasions, holidays, or vacations

  • Any disputes regarding the child’s activities or schooling

  • Any disputes related to the child’s medical issues

  • Any other child-related matter upon which the parents cannot agree, and agree in writing to submit to the parent coordinator.

 

A parent coordinator is not acting as a mental health professional and does not provide coparenting counseling or therapy. Parent coordination is an Alternative Dispute Resolution process and the Parenting Coordinator’s role is akin to that of an arbitrator or mediator.

 

Parents cannot hire Alice to be a parent coordinator on their own, outside of a child custody case. A parent coordinator must be identified and agreed upon as part of the development of a Parenting Plan, which is made a court order. The scope of the parent coordinator’s role must be clearly identified and agreed upon by the parents.

 

Please discuss with your attorney If you believe that a parent coordinator would be helpful in your coparenting relationship and ask them to contact Alice for more information.

Uncontested Divorce

Uncontested Divorce

Guardian ad Litem

Guardian ad Litem

Uncontested cases are those cases where every issue has been resolved by the parties. The issues include, but may not be limited to, equitable division of assets and debt, alimony, child custody and parenting time, and child support. Parties may have a mediated Memorandum of Understanding as a product of mediation with another professional or may have outlined their settlement on a napkin at the dining room table, the terms of which Alice can incorporate into formal settlement documents to be filed with the court.
 
Legal ethics require that Alice only represent one party to a divorce or other family law case. The parties should decide among themselves which of them will be the “petitioner,” who is primarily in contact with Alice. Alice may discuss the documents and legal procedure with the second party but may not offer them legal advice. The second party may choose to have another attorney review the final documents prior to signing.
 
Alice does not participate in litigation.
 
Process: Contact Alice to schedule a consultation via Zoom to discuss your case. At the consultation, you and Alice will decide if your case is a good fit for Alice’s practice. A consultation fee of $425.00 is payable via LawPay prior to your consultation.
 
Fees: A retainer of $3,500.00 - $7,500.00, depending on the scope of work, paid in advance of beginning work is required. Alice’s hourly rate of $425.00 and any costs are billed against this retainer. In most uncontested cases, the retainer is sufficient to cover all costs and the paying party may receive a refund of unused fees. Circumstances may arise that require additional fees to be paid.

A Guardian ad Litem is appointed by the court in a contested custody case to represent the best interests of the child(ren). Parents cannot independently hire a Guardian ad Litem. The Guardian ad Litem will conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the child(ren)’s life/lives and will make recommendations regarding custody and parenting time. Often, the parents can settle their custody dispute with the Guardian ad Litem’s feedback. If not, the Guardian ad Litem will draft a report and testify at trial as the court’s expert witness. Ultimately, the judge will make the decisions if the parties do not agree. The Guardian ad Litem does not make decisions, only recommendations based upon her investigation.
 
Over two decades, Alice has represented the best interests of hundreds of children, from infants to teenagers, from many different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Each case is unique and deserves a full and unbiased investigation. There is not a “cookie-cutter” approach to being Guardian ad Litem. Continued learning and teaching have been important parts of Alice’s development as Guardian ad Litem. As a member of AFCC, she has attended many seminars and conferences on cutting edge child custody issues and trends. She has been active in training new Guardians ad Litem through the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF) and developing and presenting advanced custody issues seminars. She was honored to be selected as the Guardian ad Litem of the Year by AVLF for 2019.
 
Alice accepts appointment in a limited number of Guardian ad Litem cases in the Superior Courts of Fulton, Cobb and DeKalb counties. Please contact her to confirm availability prior to submitting her name to the court for appointment. Her retainer is $6,000.00 and hourly rate is $425.00.

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