The prospect of seeking a divorce likely comes with visions of protracted court battles and significant expenses. For some couples, there may be another option through collaborative law. While this is not the most common divorce option, it is a viable option for many Florida residents.
There has been a push in some areas of the country to make a collaborative divorce more available to those couples for whom it would be most suitable. It is an approach that requires each spouse to be able to communicate openly and find ways to compromise. Each side has an attorney, but the effort is on working together to find a fair and comprehensive solution to all material family law issues.
When there are minor children involved, a professional who is experienced in providing neutral evaluations of children’s needs can offer guidance in creating a suitable parenting agreement. Financial consultants can provide assistance in obtaining an agreeable monetary settlement. The cost of working through this type of divorce is usually considerably less than going through the court system.
If at any point during the process communications between the parties break down, either one can decide to seek a more traditional divorce. However, if the couple chooses to take the issue to court, then both would need to seek new legal representation. The attorneys that handle these types of alternative dispute resolution proceedings are described as less aggressive in their approach and focus on making the process less adversarial. Florida residents who believe that a collaborative law approach could possibly work for them can seek more information from an attorney who is experienced in this area of family law.
Source: citypages.com, “Minnesota lawyers are trying to make divorce… friendly?“, Hannah Jones, May 21, 2018
