Collaborative Divorce

Collaborative Divorce is a method of alternative dispute resolution in family law where you and your partner each have a team of professionals trained in the collaborative process.  The entire idea behind Collaborative Divorce is to resolve differences in an informal atmosphere of dialogue outside of court.  You and your partner may each have your own lawyer, a financial professional and a mental health professional to work through the issues of your case through full disclosure and the exchange of all information necessary to reach an informed resolution. 

Collaborative Divorce experts manage this private process — inside an office instead of a courtroom — which offers the structure and resources, as well as an emotionally safe environment, required for the divorcing pair to think about their special circumstances and reach a settlement outside of the public’s eye.

The process of Collaborative Divorce recognizes that, although the marriage might be ending, obligations and relationships oftentimes continue, particularly when children are involved. It permits a divorcing couple to put together agreements focusing upon their most critical mutual and individual goals. The process assists all members of the family in learning how to move forward concentrated on the future, instead of dwelling on the past.

Collaborative Divorce offers divorcing spouses an alternative to a conventional courtroom divorce. In this process, control is not given to the judge who isn’t familiar with a family’s or couple’s unique situation and who may be extremely time constrained. The divorcing spouses instead work with specially-trained experts — without any interference from the court — to reach a customized and creative solution with the objective of generating the best possible outcome for the family and the couple.

Many partners agree that they’d prefer to tackle their divorce issues outside of a courtroom. Within the process of Collaborative Divorce, clients sign an agreement where they make a promise to attempt to settle all of their issues outside of a courtroom. They also make a promise not to make threats to take their case to court. As these threats are removed, clients have the ability to more comfortably discuss their individualized concerns within their case.

It’s a process that’s frequently more efficient and cost-effective than a conventional divorce. Collaborative Divorce is structured in such a way that the divorcing couple works with highly trained experts to resolve financial, parenting and additional emotional issues within the family. It is a process which allows couples to directly invest in solutions instead of expensive litigation.

For more information on collaborative practice, contact Marriage Financial Solutions at (310) 442-8473.