Mediation time Jim: I need some advise (like everyone else here)
I have to go to mediation, but I'm wondering what it is like. Let me explain a little first. I left my wife. I left because she was a b1tch during the 3 years we were married. When I moved out, I only took 10% of the stuff from our apt. It was stuff I had before the marriage, but I left mostly everything I had to her because I didn't want her to be without anything (and cause me more grief). After I moved out, I still paid the bills as usual, until she decided to get her own lawyer and fight the divorce. Now does this make sense? We are going to mediation because she wants the cash value of the 10% of things I took from the apartment, which was valued at 2,700$ in the discovery process. That's all I have left in the world, my clothes, a bed, a broken DVD player and some other little stuff. During discovery, the value of what she has is at 15,000$. The judge denied our motion to skip mediation, but there is nothing to mediate over! I have nothing left! In TX, you are required to do mediation 3 times before the trial, at 400$ a session per person. I have been so happy since I left her back in April, but now she is just causing me more grief. I know I need to look on the bright side of things, I just can't wait until this is over with. Our trial date is set for next month. We have been living sperate for about 6 months now and she has been paying her own bills (or has her new man pay them for her).
But back to my main question. What is mediation like? I'm not sure what it's going to be like for me. Here is the score... We have no kids, no house. I have 2,700$ worth of property (which she wants the cash value of), I have 40,000$ in debt from the marriage (2 cars and a funeral). She has 15,000$ worth of property and no debt from the marriage. What am I supposed to mediate here?!?!
Re:Mediation time admin: At mediation offer to split the $40,000 debt from the marriage with her.
She might reconsider her options.
After all, if you "wanna share"... share EVERYTHING!
Re:Mediation time Jim: all she wants is money (which I hardly have). I don't want anything from her. I don't even want to threaten to want anything of hers, I just want her to sign off of the divorce and leave me alone! I would love it if we could share the debt, but I know that is just going to drag things out. Once it goes to the judge next month, I wonder what she (the judge) will decide? I could get a "man-hater" judge that makes me pay and give away my soul to satan, or she could just finalize the divorce and everything would be great. It feels like Las Vegas. :-(
Re:Mediation time admin: Her chasing you for the last few $'s sounds like she wants you to suffer. She sounds very angry and bitter. Frankly I don't think being a "softie" or running is going to work here - she is seeking a confrontation. IMHO You are going to have to adopt a "tougher attitude" towards her.
Re:Mediation time Jim: Michael,
I hope the judge sees it that way, that she is just being petty and trying to squeez a few $ out of me. I don't want to fight, I guess because I don't want the judge to think that WE are fighting, but rather she is being petty and just causing me a last little bit of grief.
