I am 35, from India but I think the rules are almost the same everywhere with some small differences. I have filed the complainant for divorce in 2017 and the final mediation will happen on 10th December. This much delay was because of the COVID pandemic and the family court was closed. During the counseling, I asked her multiple times whether she would like to come back, but she rejected me. We have a daughter 6 years old and for the last 2 years, I was not able to see my child as they will only bring the child to court. Also, several times, they don't come to the court and the court will postpone the case to the next date. All the time, I was present in the court. Unfortunately, the judge has been transferred to a new location during this period and a new judge is hearing the case now. Before I filed a prayer to the court asking permission to bring the child to my home once every two weeks, but nothing has been decided. The judge asked the ex to bring the kid to court when our case is called and she has done it 2-3 times. At that time, my kid was too young and she doesn't recognize me now.

Now the mediation lawyer asked her to bring the kid on the 10th and the final agreement will be drafted on that day. She is asking for 600000 Indian money and monthly child support and a fixed deposit in the name of the child. I doubt they can liquidate the deposit anytime as she is the mother. If I agree with this, she is saying she will allow me to see the kid once a month at court. I doubt this also and sometimes they are saying this simply to get the money. I am not sure how I need to be prepared for this.

I have a lawyer and they are saying that they don't have that much about involvement in mediation. He is asking me to sign the agreement and validate everything by myself and don't give time to her to approach her lawyer, otherwise, they will again increase the amount. As per the lawyer I only need to file the case of child visitation, if it is not decided in the mediation, but my wife is saying like it's proof that o don't want to see the kid, otherwise, I should have filed cases already. I don't know how to counter this. Actually, I am a slow-spoken type of person and can't really win a heated argument. Nothing will come to my mind at that time. I tried to learn the law by reading the law books, but as don't have a law education, I don't understand much of it. Also, I tried to join a law school but failed in their entrance exam. I went to other schools also, but most of them don't offer part-time courses and asked me to join for full-time. I can't do it as I need to resign from my job. I am a software developer working for a big US-based IT company.

I am buying things for my daughter today including clothes, shoes, gold jewelry, and making chocolates at home. Not sure they will deny giving all these in the name of COVID. I am very much afraid this is the last time I can see my kid. Thanks for reading and sorry for my English. If anyone has any tips to prepare well for the mediation, that would be very much helpful.