Approaches to Dispute Resolution

Mediation
Your Cost: Low
Your Control: High

Collaboration
Your Cost: Medium
Your Control: Medium

Litigation
Your Cost: High
Your Control: Low

Mediation
A mediator is an independent third party who works with the couple to reach a divorce settlement. The mediator is neutral and does not give advice (legal or non-legal) to either party. Each party retains their own legal counsel. Mediation tends to be more cost effective than collaborative and litigated divorces.

Litigation
In situations where both parties disagree on how to settle their marriage and cannot work together, they can go to court and have a judge decide for them.

Collaborative
Collaborative Divorce is a team approach to divorce. A divorcing family obtains professional help from experts in the legal, financial, and mental-health fields, and if needed, medical and child experts are also involved. Each team member assists the family in his/her area of expertise, and then integrates his/her recommendations with those of the other team members and the collaborative law attorneys to help the family reach a divorce settlement.