Mediation & Collaborative Divorce
A calmer path—when it fits your situation.
And on terms you help set.
When both people are willing to negotiate in good faith, there is often a quieter path—one that keeps you out of an open courtroom, costs less, moves faster, and leaves your family with more control over the outcome.
A confidential conversation. No commitment, no pressure.
Why This Matters
It doesn't have to be a war.
Most people walk in believing the same thing: that ending a marriage or settling custody means a scorched-earth fight in a courtroom, where a judge who has never met your family decides how it ends.
Sometimes a case does belong in front of a judge. But many do not. That quieter path isn't automatic, and it isn't right for everyone. But where it fits, you get to choose it. Our job is to tell you honestly whether it fits your situation, and then to handle it well if it does.
We do only family law. We explain the process in plain terms, we answer your questions, and we don't push you toward a fight you don't need—or away from one you do.
What They Are
Mediation and collaborative divorce, in plain terms.
Mediation. A neutral third party—the mediator—helps both spouses negotiate an agreement. The mediator does not decide anything. The parties do. Whatever the two sides agree to is written up and submitted to the court for approval. In Kentucky, courts often order mediation in contested family cases before they will set a trial. You can still have your own attorney advising you throughout.
Collaborative divorce. Each spouse retains their own specially trained collaborative attorney. Everyone signs an agreement committing to resolve the case without going to court. If the process breaks down and the case has to be litigated, the collaborative attorneys generally must withdraw—no one can use the collaborative table as a staging ground for a court fight.
Generally a good fit when
— both people are willing to negotiate honestly, you want privacy, you want to protect a co-parenting relationship, and you want the family—not a judge—to keep control.
Not appropriate when
— there is domestic violence or a serious power imbalance, a spouse is hiding assets, or a party is negotiating in bad faith. We will tell you plainly when a calmer path is the wrong path.
How We Handle It
Negotiation is still advocacy. We prepare for it the same way.
Before recommending a path, we look at your facts—finances, custody picture, the other party's conduct—and tell you whether a calmer resolution is realistic. We don't sell you a process that won't work.
We help you understand what's reasonable, what's at stake, and where the lines are before you sit down at the table. You go in knowing your numbers and your priorities, not guessing.
Part of our role is to keep the process moving toward a workable agreement rather than a deadlock.
If good faith breaks down, we are prepared to litigate. You are never choosing between 'settle' and 'be left exposed.'
Why Eisenmenger
A practice limited to family law, on both sides of the river.
The firm's practice is limited to family law, and has been for roughly two decades. That focus is the point—this is the only kind of law we do.
Michelle L. Eisenmenger has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 2017. Fellowship in the Academy is by invitation and reflects a recognized depth of family law experience; it is a fellowship, not a state certification.
Indiana courts also use mediation and recognize collaborative practice. Because Michelle is licensed in both Kentucky and Indiana, the firm can advise on a matter that crosses the river rather than handing you off to another office.
What Now
Talk with us about the right path.
We'll give you an honest read on whether mediation or collaborative divorce can work for you—and what to do if it can't.