Mediation Matters offers a supportive environment to resolve disputes that arise among lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered (LGBT) families. These disputes may involve siblings, friends, parents, children, married couples, or same-sex couples. Our male-female mediation team provides a diversity of perspectives and gender balance for both lesbian and gay couples.

When same-sex partners decide to separate, they need to work out a separation agreement that outlines the division of property and decide if there will be any ongoing financial support between them. If there are children, they need to agree on who will make important decisions and what time the children will have with each of them. These are the same decisions that heterosexual couples must make, but often without the benefit of the same legal protections.

Since same-sex couples are not yet allowed to marry in our state, the laws that govern married couples do not apply to them. This can be both an opportunity as well as a difficulty. Gay couples can separate without having to justify their actions or submit their affairs to the scrutiny of a judge. The freedom from judicial intervention can be a welcome relief for couples who are able to separate in an amicable way. But if couples are not in agreement on important issues, they can be left without legal recourse.

We help people share deeply personal issues in ways that promote trust and understanding. We firmly believe that, even in the midst of pain and anger, couples can reach agreements that feel fair and just to both of them. In mediation, nothing will happen unless both people agree to it.

We encourage our clients to see attorneys so that they have a clear understanding of the legal consequences of any decisions that they are making. We maintain a referral list of attorneys in Maryland and the District of Columbia who work with LGBT families in mediation. Considering what the courts might do can be one factor in making decisions. We also encourage couples to discuss what they think is fair, what is in the best interest of the family and what solutions could allow them to part ways with respect and emotional closure. This is particularly important when children are involved. In mediation, we help couples to work out agreements that allow them to share in both the benefits and responsibilities of parenting. We strive to help couples forge a clear agreement of the parental relations involved, whether those agreements are able to be legally secured through adoption or not. We help couples keep talking until they find solutions that work for both of them.

Mediation allows couples to keep control of the process and maintain their privacy. With the help of a skilled and non-judgmental mediation team, we believe that couples can go their separate ways with dignity and with a plan that is in the best interest of everyone involved.

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