MEDIATIONS BY CANOVA
We value the opportunity to assist people in working together in reaching a resolution by communication, not opposition. We also value seeing both parties walk out of the mediation process with a smile on their face and a thorough, customized plan on what their future holds.
Kimberly Canova, a native Arkansan, graduated from Hendrix College in 1989 and from the University of Arkansas Law School (Fayetteville) in 1992. She is and has been a certified domestic relations mediator through the Arkansas Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission since 2005. Fayetteville has been her hometown since 1989. She loves calling the Hogs and cheering on the Chiefs.
Credentials & Awards:
- Bachelor of Arts, June 3, 1989, Hendrix College
- Juris Doctor, May 9, 1992, University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) School of Law
- AV Preeminent (Martindale Hubbell)
- Platinum Client Champion Award
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When it comes to family, you need a team with proven experience working for you. Kimberly Canova has over 30 years experience in working with parties in disputes. She has litigated divorce and custody issues hundreds of times. She knows that mediation is a much better process to address issues related to the breakdown of a family unit. Experience matters when you are talking about your children’s futures and your assets you have worked hard to obtain. Since 1992, Canova Mediations has been helping the residents of Northwest Arkansas reach agreements in their domestic relations matters, keeping the participants in control of their future.
There is no true winner in a divorce, so we approach each mediation or courtroom case with tactfulness as we advocate for fair results. From alimony and child support negotiation to visitation rights and adoptions, we are by your side no matter your family law needs.
Mediation is a process to resolve legal issues and avoid having a stranger in a black robe determine your fate. Mediations are facilitated by a mediator, or a professional trained in alternative dispute resolution.
Before mediation, the mediator’s office will coordinate with both parties (and if necessary, their lawyers) to schedule a time to meet. We will also discuss information that might be necessary to make the best decisions.
Once the mediation begins, it usually takes about half the day. The mediator will facilitate an honest, open discussion between the two parties to resolve their dispute. When appropriate, the mediator will have private conversations with each party to facilitate movement on the difficult issues. Privacy in mediation is very important. What you say in mediation stays in mediation. No airing of your laundry in the sterile courtroom environment, open to the public.
Once an agreement has been made, the mediator will create a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for all involved parties to review and approve. For the MOU to be enforceable by a Court of Law, your issues can be processed through the Court system as an uncontested matter.
Pursuing a divorce is a difficult journey to walk for all couples. With Canova Mediations, you don't have to walk it alone. With over 30 years of experience, Kimberly Canova is a family lawyer and mediator who brings the highest level of empathy, professionalism, and care to every conversation with a foundational understanding that people are people, not files or case numbers. Achieving an amicable divorce without having to enter a courtroom battle is possible through Canova Mediations. In a divorce mediation, Kimberly helps the parties identify the assets and debts to be addressed. She also assists the parties in providing a list of documentation and other information necessary to make educated decisions.
Family comes first. Let us help you, the parents, make decisions together about what happens with your children. Be in control of what "childhood" is going to look like in 2 homes. Mediation allows the parents to work together to make the best decisions for their family, navigating custody disputes (including grandparent visitation rights) with a neutral, understanding third party — like Kimberly Canova. Because of her 30 years of experience in litigating custody cases, she knows what issues the Judge will want to see addressed in the parties’ document setting out their agreement. She also knows what our laws require to be included in any case involving minor children.
Canova Mediations is well-experienced when it comes to assisting unmarried parents in establishing the legal paternity of their child and navigating issues of custody, visitation and support. Kimberly brings her years of experience as a lawyer as well as her experience as a parent to the table. In complicated situations, mediation is perfect for providing the flexibility you won’t find in a courtroom.
Alimony can be one of the hardest parts of divorce. A mediator will help you consider whether alimony is warranted and, if so, what that will look like in terms of the amount and duration of alimony. Kimberly is mindful that no one wants to pay alimony. But, it is something to be considered in a divorce in Arkansas. Mediation gives you a voice in determining whether alimony is necessary, as well as a voice in the amount and duration. In a contested trial, you lose that voice, along with control. Work together to find a solution that both parties can live with through mediation.
