Your Legal Solution Starts with a Call
Your Legal Solution Starts with a Call
Not every family law dispute needs to turn into a court battle. In fact, many couples and co-parents are finding that mediation offers a more peaceful, cost-effective, and cooperative way to resolve their differences. At Hand & Toker, LLC, we help clients throughout New Jersey use mediation to find common ground, without giving up their legal rights or their voice.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re navigating divorce, child custody, or a post-judgment dispute; mediation can help you reach a resolution that works for both parties while keeping stress and legal costs to a minimum.
You can trust our team at Hand & Toker to advocate passionately for your family’s best interests with expertise and care.
Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) where a neutral third party, the mediator, helps both sides work through their disagreements and come to a mutually acceptable agreement. Unlike a judge or arbitrator, the mediator doesn’t make decisions or take sides. Their role is to guide the conversation, defuse tension, and keep the process productive.
Mediation is completely confidential and can be used to resolve a wide range of family law issues, including:
Mediation can be voluntary, court-ordered, or built into your initial divorce process. Regardless of how it starts, the goal is the same: to reach a resolution you both can live with—without the courtroom drama.
Mediation offers several advantages over traditional litigation:
First, it’s private. Mediation takes place in a confidential setting, not in open court, so your personal matters stay personal.
It’s also faster. Court schedules can stretch for months, even years. Mediation can help you resolve issues in a matter of weeks.
It tends to be more affordable. Because it avoids drawn-out litigation, mediation often involves fewer attorney fees and court costs.
Mediation is also less adversarial. Instead of preparing for battle, both parties come together to focus on practical solutions. This is especially helpful for parents who will need to maintain a co-parenting relationship after the case ends.
And finally, it puts you in control. In court, a judge makes the final call. In mediation, you and the other party decide what works best for your lives.
Mediation works best when both parties are willing to communicate, even if things are tense or difficult. You don’t have to agree on everything—or anything—at the start. But you do have to be open to listening, compromising, and working toward a shared resolution.
That said, mediation isn’t right for every situation. If there’s a history of domestic violence, emotional manipulation, or a complete breakdown of trust, other legal paths may be more appropriate. At Hand & Toker, we’ll give you honest advice about whether mediation makes sense for your case.
Our attorneys support clients through mediation in two ways: as legal advocates during the process, and in some cases, as trained mediators themselves.
If you’re attending mediation with your ex, we’ll help you prepare. We’ll explain your legal rights, help you identify priorities, and guide you on what to expect. During sessions, we can be present to offer advice, review proposals, and make sure any agreement reached is fair, enforceable, and in your best interest.
Once mediation is complete, we’ll help draft or review the final agreement, ensure all terms are clearly defined, and submit it to the court if needed.
You don’t have to fight it out in court to get the outcome you deserve. Mediation gives you the opportunity to resolve your family law issues with more control, more privacy, and less stress.
If you’re considering mediation or want to understand your options, contact Hand & Toker, LLC today. We’re here to help you move forward with confidence, no matter where you are in the process.