Collaborative law can ease divorce process for all parties

The decision to end a marriage is usually only made after serious consideration. The process to obtain that divorce is often an emotionally and financially draining experience for the entire family. Florida residents who have decided that a divorce is the best choice for their current circumstances may seek more information on how a collaborative law approach could ease the process.

The majority of couples likely believe that a divorce will require litigation in order to arrive at a suitable settlement agreement. However, a collaborative approach could enable the parties to reach a peaceful accord while ensuring that civil communication is preserved for the sake of any children. In this type of divorce, each party is represented by his or her own attorney who then works with a team of professionals to resolve every aspect of a settlement. This may entail the participation of financial advisors, counselors and specially trained child advocates.

These professionals will work with the team to establish financial goals while helping to arrive at the most suitable division of assets. They also provide emotional support as well as help the spouses learn effective communication strategies in order to co-parent without acrimony. The child advocates work with the children in order to assess their emotional and mental well-being and provide information to the parents so that the children’s needs are protected throughout the divorce.

This approach to a divorce is vastly different in that the team works together to prevent the contentiousness and stalemates that can accompany a courtroom battle. Collaborative law is proving to be a peaceable way for spouses to end a marriage. It enables the two sides to work together for the sake of the children and mitigates some of the emotional harm that divorce can inflict. Florida residents may benefit from considering whether this approach could work in their particular situation.

Source: pilotonline.com, “Collaborative divorce aims to preserve family harmony”, Dale Truitt Berrett and Lawrence E. Luck, Accessed on Feb. 25, 2018

 

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