Beth Spickler Lerman earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Hofstra University. She received her Master’s in Social Work from Adelphi University and is a trained divorce mediator.
Beth has worked for the past 26 years helping people of all ages deal with life’s transitions.
Beth is a dedicated professional with strong organizational skills and thoroughness that are vital when assisting a couple through the stages of ending a marriage.
She understands the many sides of divorce, including the emotional and practical aspects of the process. Beth provides an environment of compassion and support to help overcome the obstacles.
Areas of Practice
Divorce mediation takes a difficult and most often emotional process out of the courts and the considerable expense of the attorney court driven system.
Mediation puts it in the hands of trained professionals who understand the emotional and practical aspects of this difficult period in your lives.
Divorce Mediation Training
Divorce mediation is a voluntary process couples may opt for when undergoing divorce. It provides them with other means of resolving disputes without having to go through the court system. It is also more cost-effective than litigation, potentially saving couples hundreds to thousands of dollars on their divorce.
Family Mediation
Divorce is often traumatic, and this makes it a difficult process to go through. The process is often emotionally charged and these feelings can get in the way of making cool-headed decisions about the future. Sadly, the litigation process is ill-equipped to deal with most of these issues.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING
Got a question? We're here to anwer! if you dont see your
question here. Contact Us
It is not usually recommended for people to go to court themselves to obtain a divorce due to the potentially significant consequences. Divorce is a legal process and if the rules are not properly followed, you can lose your rights to make certain legal arguments on your behalf. Additionally, if you do not have a lawyer and your spouse does, there will be an inherent imbalance and you may have difficulty winning your case or getting the terms you want in your divorce decree.
There are a few alternatives to going to court to obtain a divorce. The most common is going through mediation during which a skilled third party neutral guides you and your spouse toward an amicable resolution of your divorce. Collaborative divorce is also another alternative in which your lawyers negotiate your settlement. If they are unable to reach an agreement, they recuse themselves and you continue toward a contested case with new lawyers.
Divorce mediation is often much less expensive than mediation. You do not have to pay a lawyer if you go through mediation, but you can if you so choose. In any event, the lawyer will spend less time appearing in court and arguing your case if you reach an amicable result in mediation. Mediation is also a more peaceful resolution, so you can divorce with integrity and maintain a positive co-parenting relationship with your spouse. Mediation also provides private meeting so you do not have to worry about your private business becoming public like it would in open court.
The divorce mediator will discuss the mediation process and the ground rules. He or she will explain his or her role as a neutral facilitator who guides you toward a peaceful resolution of your case.
Divorce mediation is informal and often occurs in an office setting instead of in a courtroom. You keep the power involved in the case and only agree to terms that you can live with, instead of handing over power to the judge to determine important aspects of your divorce, such as how to divide your property or how child custody is treated. Mediation is also a collaborative process, so you work together with your spouse instead of being pitted against each other in litigation.
After successful mediation, you leave with a legally-binding agreement. However, to have the agreement reflected in a proper divorce decree, you will need to submit the agreement to the court and ask it to incorporate this agreement into your divorce decree.
Your divorce is final after you schedule a hearing with the court where you are getting divorced and the judge signs the divorce decree.
Divorce mediation may not be appropriate in certain situations, such as when there is a history of domestic violence or an inherent imbalance of power. Divorce mediation is also not appropriate if there is a history of child abuse and restricted or prohibited visitation is in the best interest of the child.