MIAMS – Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings

By Tim Melville-Walker of MacDonald Oates LLP

One of the big changes to family law in April 2014 was making MIAMS (Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings) compulsory before most family law applications can proceed in the Court. It has been made very clear that the Court will reject applications if a MIAM has not been undertaken, unless the case meets one of the limited class of exceptions.

The purpose of the MIAM is to provide the potential parties with information about the various alternatives to Court action. The intent is to prevent people ploughing into Court proceedings when there may actually be a better way to resolve the matter.

The requirement is simply to attend a qualified mediator, who can give the information – it does not actually oblige anyone to undertake mediation. However see also the article on this site about whether Judges might actually force couples out of Court and into one of the alternatives to Court action.

A number of members of the group are mediators, who are qualified to undertake MIAMS. Please see the individual profiles on the group page.