Susan has mediated for me many times. She is a top notch mediator. She is creative and will not give up.

I am writing this review to help others avoid a similar experience that I had in mediation and specifically Susan Wright. A brief overview of my situation is typical communication issues and two people living different lives. The decision to seek a divorce was simple, my ex unbeknownst to me had opened 9 credit cards and charged over $45,000 on clothes, cosmetics, hair salon, tanning, cash advances and various other unnecessary expenditures causing a huge financial burden on our family.
Problem #1 – Because my ex opened these cards in her name only, I was not liable for these expenses per the Credit Cards Companies. Because there were 8 legitimate expenses pepper among over a hundred frivolous expenses, Susan Wright ruled that cards were used for the family.
Result - Susan Wright awarded my ex with $45,000+ in equity from our house – in other words I paid for her irresponsibility. When she ruled I pulled up where my ex had made over 20 purchases at Nordstrom in the last 18 weeks. The charges ranged from $120 to $300, I said to Ms. Wright “is this normal?” “Is this right? For a family that is struggling financially?” She said to me “That is nothing, it is not like she is buying Louis Viton”. I was floored because that might not be nothing for a woman that makes over $2000 for 8 hours work a day but for an everyday family - Yes it is a big deal.
Problem #2 – I made a goodwill gesture at said I would pay additional monies per year for each of my kids activities with one caveat: I would pay the money directly to each association because I wanted to make sure that the money is used for my kids – duh.
Result – Susan Wright flubbed the verbiage and so one kid I got my wishes but the second kid, I have to reimburse my ex within 7 days of invoice presented. So my ex now wears me every week with invoices because she wants money. My lawyer and I requested that she amend the MSA to what we actual agreed to and she did not.
Problem #3 – TAXES! Major IRS Issue! We agreed to jointly meeting with a CPA to help us with 2016 and 2017 Returns. The verbiage was so weak and unspecific when it came to the what will be done with the taxes. Nothing about wages, withholdings, mortgage tax, dependents (children) etc. I underline JOINTLY because we did not say we would file jointly. This raised a huge problem with the interpretation of the MSA.
Result – Delayed the divorce by 6 months, a huge amount of lawyers fees that resulted in have to go to court again. My ex did not withhold for her taxes from her real estate commissions. Now I am open to having to pay for her taxes because of Susan Wright. Before going to the court the lawyers reached out to Susan Wright for clarification and ruling because it was part of her arbitration duties. Susan Wright did not rule and only made a recommendation so we ended up in court again. Despite being divorce now this problem is still unresolved and now brings in potential repercussions from the IRS which most certainty includes an audit.
The summary Ms. Wright claims a high degree of resolution. I understand how she claims that: she takes advantage of the situation and the want for parties to put an end to a divorce expeditiously. I researched here before hand and only found one review and so I wanted to let people know what happened to me. Thanks