Thursday *****fest - 7/21/16

Same ladies !!! Same here. My husband actually gets proud when I stand up to him, he's like yes!!! I'm rubbing off on you . 

Hey Audrey, yesterday I had mediation and found out that it hasn't always been mandatory in SC but now it is. Also, I was super glad to find out that we were in separate rooms! I was so nervous about doing it face to face as I hate confrontation too. But it was just me and my lawyer in the room. The mediator went between all the rooms for us to come to an agreement. Saved us all money and painful multiple court dates. I also found out that if you want to bring someone along, it must be pre-approved before the mediation date. Also everything is said in confidence, so they can't say anything to the other party that you want kept confidential. Hope this helps ease your worries. :) Are you going to Upstate Mediation in Greenville? I called them before my date and they answered all my questions. :)

Oh wow, okay. It doesn't sound too bad then.

Yes, we're going through Upstate Mediation! 

Thank you for the info. It helps! 

ETA: I don't know why I didn't read the paperwork I got in the mail. I'm such a ditz sometimes! 

Tbh I didnt either, lol. Thats why I had to call and ask. I dont have a job so I only had to pay 50 bucks but I dont know what the income limits are. I just had to bring proof and they made a copy. I wish you luck :)

Why is she at mediation?  My ex and I deal with everything with our partners having NO official say.  Are you in separate rooms?  We were and the mediator went between the two rooms.

We've never done a pre-hearing mediation off court grounds like this one. We can't get a hearing date until we see a mediator. ( I guess maybe because neither of us have lawyers this time? There's no one to act as a go-between. ) I don't know exactly how this particular mediation session will work. ( other than it'll be a huge waste of time ) 

 She's always at the contempt hearings held at family court. Hell, she has power of attorney for the ex so if he decides to skip a hearing, she can speak in his place. ( The judges don't like that very much...haha. ) The rare occasions my ex does show up, she doesn't say a word. I don't know why she goes to the hearings, unless it's to mind **** me. ( Michael has gone with me to keep me from freaking out. )

The contempt hearings are done in bulk, or what I refer to as a cattle call. (Hundreds of cases being heard over a 3 hour period on a given day. ) During the contempt hearings-depending on the case, there's an attempt at mediating by the family court prosecutor to avoid the parties having to be seen by a judge. Ex and I have twice been called into a small room for one of the mediation sessions. Then, she's not allowed in-neither is my husband- but she's sure tried to get in. 

During his first contempt hearing, we were called for a mediation session, and I guess the family court prosecutor assumed she was me. She had walked in to the doorway and stood there, blocking my view. When she didn't move, I walked around her and in to the room, and the prosecutor asked who I was. I said my name. She looked at Mrs. Ex and said "Well then who are you??" She said "His wife." and pointed at my ex. "Well, you can't be in here. You need to leave." she was told. ( She's a sneaky ho-bag. )

ETA: Kim, sorry if I didn't make myself clear about the mediation vs contempt hearings. I'm not firing on all cylinders today. 

Colorado law is that you have to mediate before you get a hearing.   It's good and ultimately cheaper than going to court.  I am no great fan of my ex's jump off, but she's nowhere near as nosy and interfering as what you have to put up with!

Just pay your ******g child support deadbeats!!!!!!

I was reading online that it seems to be mandatory in most SC counties, but I've never had to go through it before being granted a hearing, and I can't remember being asked to undergo mediation before my divorce hearing or the first time the ex sued me for child support reduction. 

I know it sounds paranoid, but I'm convinced that she has orchestrated this whole thing because she hated that the ex and I actually got along well after our divorce and were on great terms. I honestly think she got massively butt hurt ( this was 4 years ago ) when the ex had a minor stroke and in a stupor apparently he talked about me and kept relating funny stories about me during the days following the stroke. At one point, she sent me a text telling me that she'd never be able to compete with me since he would "always be in love with me". Uhhhh....whaaa? I should have known at that point that she was going to go whackadoodle on me. 

Agree ! Get her out of that mediation room !!