BRINGING THE PARTIES APART

Litigants turn to the matrimonial bar to obtain redress for the diffic ulties the domestic partnership hath wrought. Clients involved in divo rce litigation complain bitterly of the process which wreaks havoc upo n their lives, emotions and pocketbooks. In response to this, and to t he need to remove the courts from the role of psychologist and sociolo gist, there has been a gathering impetus in many states to create alte rnative methods for the resolution of matrimonial disputes. The author s highlight the adaptation and replication of mediation techniques for use in resolving such conflicts, while illustrating how the process i s historically rooted in labor relations matters.