This analogy may seem a stretch, but a litigation is to hospital birth.

Mediation is not an eleventh-hour attempt to save a failing marriage, and only couples who have jointly decided to end the marriage should use it.

Divorce mediation is face-to-face; both spouses speak to each directly. But it is not the "in your face" of a litigation.

Mediation is voluntary and it requires the spouse, although the lawyers for the spouses are not present during the mediation.

Mediators can help for areas of factors in the failing marriage.

Mediation is a civil way for spouse who have reasonable differences about property distribution and custody to resolve them in a way that maintains good relations after the divorce.

Mediators are often attorneys who present relevant legal information, but they do not give legal advice or represent either party. Mediators do not take sides; they expedite consensus and agreement.

Most couples take between six and 20 hours to work through a divorce in mediation.

A mediated divorce is more expensive than a children.