If you and your spouse have decided to end your marriage, a lengthy and often contentious divorce in court is not your only option.
You may wish to consider collaborative divorce, an option that offers several advantages over litigation.
About collaborative divorce
Collaborative divorce is a form of alternative dispute resolution. This process allows you and your spouse to choose attorneys trained in collaborative law to help you develop a divorce agreement that is satisfactory to you both. Your agreement will contain everything you wish to cover including major points such as the division of your assets and debts, alimony and child custody and visitation matters.
Benefits to consider
You and your spouse set the pace for your collaborative divorce, which is usually a faster and less expensive option than litigation. During this out-of-court process, the two of you will exchange information voluntarily and decide on legal procedures that will help simplify the process and further reduce the expense. In addition to negotiating an agreement, you can also decide how best to manage post-divorce issues. You can call upon professionals such as an accountant, a child custody expert or a financial adviser to help as you develop your agreement.
Transparent process
During collaborative divorce, there is no formal discovery as there is in litigation; the process is transparent. You and your spouse will follow an agenda and agree to share documents and information as you acquire them. The outside professionals who join your team can provide as many solutions as necessary to help you achieve your agreement goals. However, if the collaborative process should break down, you and your soon-to-be-ex can choose new attorneys and seek to resolve your differences in court.