I'd like to chime in on the mediated divorce. I went that route. It was the ONLY way I had a hope of keeping the house based on the fact that Ryan had partial ownership in it. According to the law - Chuck was entitled to half and would have taken it. In mediation we worked out more like a 1/3 deal.
As far as costs, mine would have been app $50,000! Mediation with an alien was PAINFUL. I cried nearly every time and he was cold, calcualting and even threw in some meanness. But I did it for $14,000 and I'd far rather use that to pay for my kids' education and things like retaining walls and cottage decor than paying it to my lawyer and the courts.
Anyone who hasn't divorced yet should consider this option. In Canada we call it "Collateral Divorce". It was a good idea.
