Beaverton Divorce Mediation with Matthew House, J.D.

What is divorce mediation?

• A start-to-finish divorce process that is far more economical, amicable, and efficient than hiring two lawyers for a battle.
• Successful mediation results in a thorough, detailed, and complete divorce finalized by the court -- without the time, expense, and stress of an adversarial setting.

​Who is involved in mediation?

• Matthew House is the only metro Portland divorce mediator who has: a law degree and 20 years of experience as a mediator and Parenting Coach, and mentor for teens, tweens, and young adults; seven years as a K-12 educator; background and training as a divorce finance expert; and an Oregon Notary Public commission.
• Only Matthew and the two parties are present. Attorneys are not allowed to attend, and almost none of Matthew's clients choose to have legal representation at all.

Where is mediation conducted?

• Matthew's Beaverton office or via Zoom.

What is the schedule and duration of the process?

• If you have not yet filed for divorce before coming to see Matthew, it is usually wise to wait to file until after mediation is complete.
• You can schedule a consultation when you are ready to see Matthew within one week.
• Once you are ready to proceed with mediation, you should contact Matthew to arrange your first session. Before your first session, Matthew will send you an intake file to complete.
• If possible, before mediation, you should register for the required parenting education class if you have at least one minor child. Click here for more information.
• After the consultation, if you choose to proceed, you will most likely have three to four mediation sessions of two hours each. An interval of one to two weeks between sessions is typical.
• Matthew typically speaks with children, age 12-22, of clients. Preteens, teens, and college-age kids receive confidential sessions, free of charge in a casual and relaxed setting. Those meetings are highly encouraged but not required.
• About two weeks after the final mediation session, you'll meet with Matthew to review your Marital Settlement Agreement.
• Two weeks after your MSA is completed, the paralegal and her supervising attorney will prepare your divorce forms and file them.
• Within a month or so of filing the case, the judge will have finalized the divorce.

How much does mediation cost?

• Here is the fee information.

 
​Summary of the steps of the process