For family mediators
I’m a family mediator. How can SmartJudge help my clients?
Give them a real answer to “how much will I get?” before you ever meet.
Mediation stalls for one reason more than any other: the couple cannot agree on the numbers before they have even started talking about outcomes. SmartJudge gives them a free, well-informed starting point. It applies real England and Wales case law to their own figures, so both of them arrive with realistic expectations before their first session with you.
What it does for your process
Send a couple to SmartJudge before their first Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) or joint session. Each of them can apply the same Section 25 framework a court uses to their own numbers, and each gets a plain-English view of the likely outcome with the relevant case law cited.
That gives them a common factual grounding going in, rather than two starting positions shaped by whatever each of them has read online. You spend the session on the compromise, not on arguing about the baseline.
Free and theirs
No card details, no obligation and no solicitor to meet first. They do not even need to share their name: SmartJudge asks only for the information that informs the report, and the report is theirs to keep, download or share.
Easy to fill in
Help on every question, the SmartJudge Chatbot alongside, progress saved automatically, and it works well on a phone. Clients can export, update and share the answers behind their report from My Information, which makes it simple for a couple to line up their assumptions.
Real case law
The report applies the Section 25 factors a judge uses and cites only a curated, solicitor-reviewed set of real England and Wales judgments, with National Archives case law as supporting context. A technical guardrail stops it inventing citations.
SmartJudge does not replace mediation or a MIAM. It is a starting point for the conversation you are already having.
When mediation gets stuck
If a couple reaches an impasse on the financial split, there is a fixed-fee route to a written opinion from a barrister (£1,800) or a sitting judge (£3,600) on how a court would be likely to divide the assets. Speed matters when clients are living with uncertainty: the written opinion is delivered within six weeks of the reviewer being instructed, or the fee is refunded.
Mediators use it to unstick a stalled negotiation without either party going anywhere near a courtroom. The opinion is not binding, so the agreement is still theirs to reach with you. Prices include VAT. Read what happens in the judge or barrister review.
Recommend SmartJudge to your clients
Give your clients a head start before they walk in. The one-page handout explains what SmartJudge is, what it is not, and how to start - print it for the waiting room or attach it to your pre-MIAM email.
Download the Client Handout (PDF)
Suggested wording for your clients
“Before we meet, it would help if you each spent half an hour on SmartJudge at smartjudge.ai. It is free, you do not have to share your name, and it will give you a realistic sense of how a court might divide your finances - so we can start from the same page.”
Questions mediators ask
Does this replace the MIAM or mediation itself?
No. SmartJudge gives your clients a shared factual starting point on the finances. The conversation, the compromise and the agreement are still yours and theirs to reach.
Is the assessment the same for both parties?
Yes. Each party’s report is built from the same Section 25 framework applied to what they enter. It is not tailored to favour either side. If the two of them enter different figures they will get different reports - which is itself a useful thing to surface in the room, because it shows you exactly where the factual disagreement is.
Do my clients need to sign up?
An account is needed so their progress saves between sittings, but beyond that personal details stay optional. They can sign in with Google, Apple or Facebook, or with an email address and password. If they would rather stay anonymous they can use a made-up email address, as long as they keep the login somewhere safe - see how to remain anonymous.
SmartJudge uses the sign-in only to give them secure access to their own information and report. It is never used for marketing.
Is there a cost to me or my practice?
No. SmartJudge is free for your clients to use, there is no referral fee or affiliate arrangement, and nothing for your practice to sign. If a client later chooses a paid solicitor review or judge or barrister review, they pay the published fixed price directly. Nothing comes back to you, so your recommendation stays independent.
Which cases does SmartJudge cover?
The division of money and property on divorce in England and Wales - the Section 25 exercise a family court would carry out. It does not assess unmarried couples’ property disputes, child arrangements, or cases outside England and Wales. The very first question checks eligibility, and if a client’s situation is outside that scope SmartJudge says so rather than guessing.
Is a SmartJudge report legal advice?
No. A SmartJudge report is educational guidance, not legal advice, and it is not a prediction of what a court will do. Every report says so, and signposts where a solicitor’s review adds human judgment. It gives your clients an informed starting point; it does not replace you or a solicitor.
Can I see what my clients will receive before I recommend it?
Yes. A complete sample report is published, showing exactly the structure, reasoning and case law your clients will see. You are also welcome to run the free assessment yourself - many mediators do, so they know what they are recommending.
See exactly what your clients will receive before you recommend it.
Read a Sample Report