There is yet another innovation which not only provides a solution to many
of these problems but also facilitates the use of joint custody and no fault
divorce. This is the concept of mediation. Divorce mediation is a process consisting
of voluntary use 41 by spouses of a neutral person to help them settle
disputes connected with their decision to divorce."1 Unlike traditional processes,
divorce mediation "places responsibility for making vital decisions where the
responsibility should lie - with the parties, not with lawyers or the court
system."" At its best, mediation is used as a substitute for the traditional adversarial
process and prior to any courtroom involvement