Choose the Judge. Know the Cost. Skip the Courtroom. with Amanda Mason of SOLAGREE on Divorce & Beyond #433

What would you say if I told you there is a way to choose the judge for your divorce, and skip the courtroom, entirely? The answer might surprise you. It's arbitration. In almost six years of Divorce and Beyond, arbitration has never been part of the conversation, until now. Susan Guthrie welcomes family law attorney Amanda Mason, co-founder and CEO of Solagree, a virtual flat-fee divorce process that puts expert financial and parenting guidance and mediation first, with private arbitration as the backdrop, so nobody gets stuck and nobody ends up in court. Amanda built Solagree after going through her own divorce, including a full custody trial in the same courthouse where she had practiced for years. She knows the system from both sides of the counsel table and has decided families deserve something better. This conversation explores why delay and fear fuel conflict, why functioning is not the same as healing, and how closing the exits keeps both spouses committed to reaching resolution. For anyone going through a divorce, and the professionals helping families restructure through it, this one changes what you think your options are. Together, Susan and Amanda break down how arbitration cuts the delay that fuels conflict, why it is not litigation light, and how agreeing up front that an arbitrator will decide whatever you can't settle closes the exits so no one can walk away or drag it out forever. For anyone going through a divorce, and the professionals helping families restructure through it, this one changes what you think your options are. What You'll Hear: How arbitration lets you and your spouse choose a decision-maker with deep family law experience, even for their reputation for kindness, instead of whichever judge is assigned to your case. Why delay creates conflict, with every month waiting for a court date adding paperwork updates, professional fees, and distrust. How fear stops people from settling, and why starting with financial and parenting specialists before anyone negotiates makes settlement stop feeling impossible. Why this is not litigation light, keeping every tool from expert witnesses to appraisals while giving up the backlog, the formality, and the courtroom. About this week's special guest: Amanda Mason Amanda Mason is a family law attorney, certified mediator, and the co-founder and CEO of SOLAGREE®, a virtual, flat-fee divorce process built to keep families out of court. Admitted to the North Carolina bar in 2003, Amanda has spent more than two decades in family law and is a partner at Mason, Mason & Smith in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission as both a Family Financial and a Superior Court Civil mediator, and she has been named to the North Carolina Super Lawyers list for 2025, 2026, and 2027, after appearing on the Rising Stars list from 2015 to 2018. Her work on SOLAGREE began with her own divorce. Amanda went through a full custody trial in the same courthouse where she had practiced for years, and standing on the other side of the counsel table changed how she saw the system. In 2019 she began building an alternative: a structured process where couples agree at the outset that private arbitration, not a courtroom, will decide anything they cannot settle themselves. That single commitment removes the two things that derail most divorces, one spouse walking away and one spouse dragging it out. SOLAGREE® is a virtual, flat-fee divorce process that replaces the courtroom with a private, structured path to resolution. It works in three phases. In the first, a certified divorce financial analyst and a parenting specialist help each person understand their financial picture and define their parenting goals, without the usual discovery slog. In the second, an experienced family law mediator guides the negotiation, where most cases resolve. In the third, if anything is still unresolved, a private arbitrator the couple helps select issues a binding decision. What sets it apart is the commitment at the front end. Both people agree from the start that arbitration, not court, will decide whatever they cannot settle. Amanda calls it a closed system, and it is why nobody can walk away and nobody can stall. A set of standard ground rules, including what she calls her anti-ghosting provisions, keeps both parties participating. Pricing is flat and published up front, by track: Parenting at $2,250 per person, Financial at $4,800 per person, and Combined at $5,990 per person, including the neutral experts, the mediation, the arbitration, and the final award. The entire process runs online. Attorneys are welcome and optional, and SOLAGREE is expanding state by state toward nationwide availability. CONNECT WITH AMANDA MASON AND SOLAGREE® Website: solagree.com Take the eligibility quiz: solagree.com Book a consultation: solagree.com/book-a-solagree-consult Email Amanda: [email protected] Instagram: @solagree_divorce Amanda on Instagram: @amandamasonatty Facebook: facebook.com/Solagree LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/solagree Amanda on LinkedIn: Amanda Mason Amanda's law practice: Mason, Mason & Smith, Wilmington, NC, masonmasonlaw.com   If This Episode Helped You Follow Divorce & Beyond so you never miss an episode. Share it with someone who needs clear, reliable guidance right now. And if you have a moment, a five-star review makes a real difference in helping the show reach the people who need it most. Follow Divorce & Beyond Website: divorceandbeyondpod.com Instagram: instagram.com/divorceandbeyondpod About the Host: Susan Guthrie, Esq. Susan Guthrie is one of the nation's leading family law and mediation attorneys, with more than 35 years of experience helping people navigate divorce with clarity and strategy. She is a Past Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution, a best-selling author, and a sought-after speaker and trainer. Susan recently appeared as the featured expert on The Oprah Podcast and has been cited in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Town & Country, The Washington Post, NewsNation, and NBC Chicago Today, among others. As the creator and host of Divorce & Beyond, ranked in the top 1% of all podcasts worldwide with more than 1.3 million downloads and an Apple Top 100 Self-Help designation, Susan brings together leading legal and mental health experts to help listeners move through divorce and into what comes next. Learn more at divorceandbeyondpod.com/about.   Disclaimer: The commentary and opinions shared on this podcast are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state regarding your specific situation.