DIVORCE MEDIATION GROUP - WHAT WE DO

Divorce Mediation Group ("DMG") was developed to provide divorce mediation services to clients of all income levels to lessen stress and harm to them (and their children). DMG recognizes couples in divorce generally spend tens of thousands of dollars for legal assistance in a litigated divorce. DMG's primary goal is to provide a service to help the family get through divorce's tangled legal, financial, and emotional fallout, minimizing damage to either of them and/or the children in a more cost effective manner than a full-blown litigated divorce.

DMG’s mediation program: 

•        Allows the parties to make important decisions for themselves and their family instead of asking a judge to make those decisions for them.  

•      Ensures that the parties have the legal, financial and personal information that they need to make informed decisions. (Example:  They may be referred out to consulting attorneys for legal advice, divorce financial experts for financial advice, and therapists for personal and emotional support.)

•      Provides procedural information to the parties so they understand the court timelines, form requirements, etc.

•      Gives parties a choice of mediators and a choice of locations. Our mediators are family law attorneys or a retired family law judge who provide confidential mediation services in the following locations:
                 Downtown San Diego
                 El Cajon
                 Chula Vista
                 Encinitas 
                 Vista

• Allows parties to maintain control over how and when they spend their money. Parties pay for sessions at the end of each session (no retainer is collected), and for the preparation of documents when they are ready to do so. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. 

DMG mediators and administrative staff do their best to make the process smoother and easier for our clients. That’s what we do.

Divorce Residency and Filing Requirements in California

Residency and Filing Requirements in California - 

      In California a divorce is called a "dissolution of marriage."

      In order to file for divorce in California, at least one of the parties must have resided in California for at least six months prior to filing, and in the county where he/she plans to file for the divorce, for the prior three months.  

     A Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and Summons may be filed with the Superior Court in the county where one of the spouses has resided for the past three months. The actual location for filing is determined by your ZIP code.  Click here for the ZIP code directory at the San Diego Superior Court's website. 

      There are 4 locations for filing a Dissolution of Marriage in San Diego County:

• Family Court Branch at 1555 Sixth Avenue, San Diego 92101
• East County Branch at 250 E. Main Street, El Cajon 92020
• South County Branch at 500 Third Avenue, Chula Vista 91910
• North County Branch at 325 South Melrose Drive, Vista 92081

      Under normal circumstances (not a mediation setting), here is what happens next:

• The Petitioner, who is the party filing the Petition, must prepare and serve the other party, the Respondent, with copies of the Petition and other paperwork.  
• The Respondent must be personally served, or the Respondent may agree to service by mail and sign a Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt, which he or she signs and sends to the Petitioner.
• If the Petition is personally served, that Proof of Service must be completed and signed by the server (who cannot be a party to the action) and filed with the court.
• If a Notice and Acknowledgment is signed by the Respondent, it must be returned to the Petitioner, who files it with the court.  
• The Respondent then completes and files a Response and has it served on the Petitioner, either personally or by mail by someone who is not a party to the action.  
• That Proof of Service must be completed filed with court. 

      HOWEVER, one of the benefits of the mediation process at Divorce Mediation Group is the Summons, Petition and Response are prepared and filed at the same time; there is no need to serve either party or prepare a Proof of Service. 

     This can be a huge relief for those parties who wish to begin the divorce process amicably and avoid the potentially embarrassing service of documents at someone's workplace or at home when children are present. The respectful preparation and filing of these documents within the private confines of mediation sets the tone for the divorce journey.

Kim Werner

Program Manager, Divorce Mediation Group

kwerner@ncrconline.com

The Peaceful Practice of Mindfulness

A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE PEACE OF MIND

I recently attended a presentation on the practice of mindfulness at the office Dr. Rochelle Perper, who is one of our family therapist speakers at our Third Saturday workshop.  I was a little curious about this mindfulness thing, What was it all about anyway?  

The presentation was put on by Dr. Rochelle Calvert (another Rochelle, I know, stay with me here) of New Mindful Life.  In order to understand a little about mindfulness, I only had to read the quote on the New Mindful Life brochure, "Between stimulus and response is a space.  In that space is our power to choose our response.  In our response lies our growth and our freedom," Victor Frankl.  

Dr. Calvert explained that mindfulness means accepting our thoughts and feelings without judging them, without there having to be a right or wrong way to think or feel. When we practice mindfulness, we stay in the present rather than dredging up the past or being afraid of what the future may hold.

Dr. Calvert then led the small group through some mindfulness mediation-type exercises. These mini-meditations were very relaxing and peaceful.  She spoke about how therapists may integrate them into their practices.  

She then talked a little about her practice.  And here is what I am excited to write about for this divorce blog.   

Dr. Calvert's office offers courses on mindfulness training, and they also offer drop-in mindfulness mediation group classes.  Most of the drop-in classes are donation based, and everyone is welcome.  

Anyone experiencing divorce is under tremendous stress: financial, emotional and physical.  People tend to put their self-care at the bottom of their list of priorities at a time when it is most important.  I encourage you to visit the New Mindful Life website and review their class schedules.  

A little relaxation and conscious effort at "being in the moment" may be the best thing you've done for yourself in a long time.

Kim Werner

Program Manager - Divorce Mediation Group

kwerner@ncrconline.com