What Mediation Is and How It Works
In family law mediation, a neutral third party, the mediator, facilitates communication between the parties and helps them work toward a mutually acceptable resolution. The mediator does not provide legal advice and does not impose an outcome. The parties control the result.
Mediation is confidential. Statements made during mediation generally cannot be used as evidence in subsequent proceedings. That confidentiality encourages candid discussion and helps resolve issues that might be harder to address in a formal court setting.
Scott Levine serves as a mediator in family law matters, bringing experience as a practicing family law attorney to the role, with working knowledge of how courts resolve issues and what realistic outcomes look like.
As a mediator, Scott Levine does not represent either party and does not provide legal advice during the process. Parties are encouraged to have their own attorneys review any mediated agreement before signing.
When Mediation Works
Mediation works best for parties with low to moderate conflict who participate in good faith and want to control the outcome. It is well-suited to cases where the parties need to preserve a functional co-parenting relationship, where privacy matters, or where cost and timeline matter.
Mediation is not appropriate where there is a significant power imbalance, active domestic violence, or one party who is not participating honestly.
What Can Be Mediated
Divorce and Property Division
A mediated agreement on divorce and property issues is formalized in a Marital Settlement Agreement drafted by an attorney for either party. Mediation can resolve the full scope of economic issues: equitable distribution, support, alimony, the marital home, and retirement accounts.
Custody and Parenting
Custody mediation lets parents craft a parenting plan that serves their children's actual needs rather than having a court-imposed schedule. A mediated custody agreement is formalized in a Custody Consent Order.
"He was able to settle my case very quickly and never once did I doubt his ability to produce positive results."
Contact UsUnderstanding the Difference
Both are alternatives to litigation. The key difference: in mediation, the mediator is neutral and neither party is represented during the process. In collaborative law, each party has their own attorney present and advocating throughout. Mediation works well for simpler matters or parties largely in agreement. Collaborative law works better for more complex cases where each party needs ongoing representation.
Mediation Available Statewide
Although the firm's court appearance practice is exclusively Allegheny County, mediation is available for parties from any Pennsylvania county. Mediation is conducted by video conference, which makes geography irrelevant, and a neutral mediator with substantial Allegheny County family law experience brings useful perspective regardless of where the parties live.
This applies whether the parties are in Westmoreland, Washington, Butler, Beaver, Erie, Lancaster, the Lehigh Valley, or anywhere in the Commonwealth. Same approach, same preparation, same focus on producing a written agreement that holds up under independent legal review.
Mediation Questions
Mediation, collaborative divorce, and attorney-negotiated settlement are three routes to the same result; the first call is where the fit is identified.