Lawyers and Family Court can always come later if no progress is made in mediation. With Divorce mediation you pay-as-you-go, there is limited financial jeopardy in trying to use mediation even if you are skeptical. You could devote a few hundred dollars to find out a settlement is not in reach and end up in Family Court anyway. However, there is a greater likelihood that you will settle in mediation if you start. In that event, you may have saved yourself tens of thousands of dollars