Called the ‘mediation clinic’, it was inaugurated on the premises of the family court in Bandra (east)

A dose of love for warring couples at family court’s mediation clinic

For couples headed for a split, there’s a new platform of reconciliation on the premises of the family court. Called the ‘mediation clinic’, it was inaugurated on the premises of the family court in Bandra (east) on Thursday. It will essentially be a place to counsel couples to help them iron out their differences and, in the bargain, save time, money and energy. The basic agenda of this clinic is to help couples understand one other and to try and save their marriage, said president of Bar Association, advocate Sajan Oomen. The clinic, which will function throughout the week, will be handled by a team of 15 lawyers who will double up as counsellors. “We want them to understand each other’s value in life, the side-effects that could occur because of their decision to seek a separation,” said Oomen. The clinic, said Oomen, is one of its kind in the state. It will deal with family issues of people prior to their getting into the litigation. “It was a direction from the Bombay high court to initiate mediation clinics in court, and our family court is the first to start one. This clinic is a different one as it will help people decide prior to the litigation stage,” said Oomen. “We’re focused in saving families than helping couples separate...” Advocate Oomen explained that despite the counselling, if a couple feels that the relationship cannot be saved, the next option will be to solve matters amicably. “Once the couple agrees to the aid to be given to the partners after separation, the court will sign on the deal and without waiting for years together, the matter will be solved. But if our second step fails and the parties still want to go to court and seek proper separation, we’ll direct those matters to the court.” Principal judge of the family court, Dr Laxmi Rao, told dna that the aim of this programme is to keep up the feeling of love and compassion in people’s hearts. “We would not like litigations filed to continue for years and so we’ve opened this clinic. The counselling lawyers will not charge the couple.”