Aylesbury
Mediation or Court in Aylesbury: What Each Costs
Compare what family mediation costs against a contested court case in Aylesbury, on your own figures. Sessions, MIAM, voucher and legal fees. Call 03300 100 175.
The short answer
Family mediation is charged per person per session, in the low hundreds, with the MIAM billed separately. A contested financial hearing commonly costs between £15,000 and £40,000 per party once counsel is instructed. The gap between the two is what this compares, on figures you enter yourself.
The two routes, side by side
Enter what you have been quoted, or leave the defaults. Both columns are per person, so they compare like with like.
Fees range from £120 to £180 per person per 90-minute session.
Charged as a single meeting, generally between £100 and £150.
Only a case involving children can claim the £500 voucher.
A contested financial hearing commonly costs between £15,000 and £40,000 per party once counsel is instructed. The default here is the lower end.
This is arithmetic on the figures you entered, not a quote or a prediction. Mediation does not always produce agreement, and a case that does not settle may still need a court application, in which case both costs are incurred. Court costs vary enormously with the complexity of the case and with how it is conducted. Nothing here is legal advice.
Beyond the cost
| Mediation | Contested court | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides the outcome | The two of you | A judge |
| Who controls the timetable | You, with your mediator | The court's listing schedule |
| Confidentiality | Confidential, with defined exceptions | A public court process |
| What it does to the relationship | Built around continuing to co-parent | Adversarial by design |
| Is it required first | A MIAM is required before most applications | The application follows the MIAM |
Questions about mediation and court in Aylesbury
Do we have to try mediation before going to court?
You have to attend a MIAM before making most family applications. Mediation itself is voluntary. The MIAM is where a mediator explains the process and assesses whether it is suitable for your circumstances.
What if mediation does not work?
You can still apply to court, and the mediator signs the form confirming you attended a MIAM. Nothing said in mediation is used against you: the process is confidential, with defined exceptions such as a risk of harm.
Is a mediated agreement legally binding?
The memorandum of understanding is not itself a court order. Where there is a divorce, the terms are usually drafted into a financial consent order, which a court can enforce. Your solicitor draws that up from the memorandum.
Why is the court figure so much higher?
A contested hearing means two sets of solicitors, usually counsel, court fees and often expert reports, over a case that is listed and relisted. Mediation is a small number of meetings with one professional, shared between you.
Which court would hear our case if mediation is not suitable?
That depends where you live. The local family court for Aylesbury is named on our Aylesbury page, along with what to expect if an application becomes necessary.
Find out which route fits your case in Aylesbury
The MIAM is where that is decided, and it is a single confidential meeting on your own.