Dallas Divorce Lawyer Blog
In Texas, if a mediated settlement agreement is properly executed you cannot challenge it. Texas Family Code Section 153.0071(d) and (e) mandate that courts shall issue an order in compliance with a mediated settlement agreement. This is why it is so important to have an attorney attend mediation with you. You cannot go back after the fact and change it. When the mediated settlement agreement is signed and on file with the court, that is it. Those are the terms and they cannot be changed. Many have tried and failed.
Why Would a Party Want to Back Out on a Mediated Settlement Agreement?
Mediations can sometimes be very difficult and long days. You typically do not reach an agreement until the very last hour after you have already been there for eight hours without a break. At this point, you are exhausted and you may not be thinking clearly. So, you might forget something. Also, a lot of parties have what we call “buyer’s remorse” in that you thought it sounded good at the time but now in practice it is not working out. For instance, a visitation schedule for a child—a party may end up wanting more or less time due to demanding schedules and want that changed. Or, a party may want to say that they actually wanted more child support than what they originally agreed to and they want to challenge that now. However, the law is pretty clear that you cannot.