It is essential that you discuss the terms of your lawyer’s compensation during the first consultation. Engaging an attorney without initially establishing the financial relationship may lead to misunderstanding, particularly where a family law problem is involved.... The objective of divorce mediation is to enable parties to resolve issues without resort to litigation. Mediation is a cooperative approach to resolve specific issues such as custody, access, spousal and child support and the division of property. In mediation, the... New York law attempts to encourage the settlement of matrimonial disputes by written agreement, to avoid contested litigation. There are many common aspects of such Agreements, such as the following: Separate residence of the Husband and Wife. A Non-Molestation... Spouses who are involved in a matrimonial dispute often appear to make a conscious decision to increase their legal costs. Hostile and malicious behavior significantly increases the expense of a matrimonial case. Yet, spouses often pursue such behavior in the face...