If couples who decide to divorce can work together, they may benefit from a process called Collaborative Divorce. Collaborative Divorce helps them reach an agreement about important issues like property division and spousal support without going to court.
Process
In a Collaborative Divorce, each party is represented by their own legal counsel who is trained in the Collaborative Divorce Process. The parties and their attorneys, along with a neutral divorce coach, will meet as a team to talk about the issues they need to agree on and the team signs a Participation Agreement at the start of the case. The team may also consist of other professionals if necessary as well, such as a Financial Neutral.
The team will work together in a series of confidential meetings to help the parties reach an ultimate agreement.
Settlement agreement
Once the parties reach an agreement, the parties’ attorneys can Judgment of Divorce to reflect the terms. The Collaborative team frequently also uses neutral filing documents, called a Joint Petition, to file for divorce rather than a traditional Complaint for Divorce. Just like in every case, the court will ensure that the property division is equitable to each party, meaning that the division of the property is fair and that child-centered agreements are in the child’s best interest.
For a quick explanation on how Collaborative Divorce is different, click to watch this video. When you are ready to discuss a Collaborative Divorce further, contact our office for a free consultation.