Arbitration

This is a process where the parties agree to use a third party (someone other than the judge) to hear and decide the case. The advantage of arbitration is that the parties can agree on who will hear and decide their case (usually, it is a family law attorney, unaffiliated with the case, who has considerable experience and a strong reputation within the legal community). Many of the people who conduct arbitrations have extensive experience and knowledge in the family law realm, particularly compared to judges who usually do not come from a family law background. That can make the outcome more predictable. The downside is that the parties are sharing the cost of the arbitrator, and it can be an expensive process.