When getting divorced, a person may not at all like the idea of a long and bitter court battle. Thankfully, divorces don’t have to go this way. There are alternatives to divorce litigation. One is the collaborative divorce process.
Collaborative divorce is an outside-of-court method for resolving important divorce issues. In this process, both parties are generally represented by their own lawyer. The parties and their attorneys meet together to negotiate and work out agreements on the various issues in the divorce. As part of this arrangement, a “no court” agreement is generally signed. This agreement makes it so if the collaborative process isn’t ultimately able to keep the divorce out of litigation, the attorneys that represented the parties in the collaborative process have to withdraw.
When deciding what route to go in a divorce, it can be important to understand what kinds of benefits the different options available can have. There are many things couples may find advantageous about collaborative divorce. We’ll now go over some of the benefits that can come from this litigation alternative.
Flexibility and control
In collaborative divorce, the divorcing parties are in the driver’s seat. The negotiations that are part of this process give the parties control over the ultimate outcome and the flexibility to address divorce issues in unique ways that best suit their circumstances.
An informal setting
Rather than a courtroom, collaborative divorces happen in an informal environment. This informal setting can be less stressful and more conducive to an open and honest exchange of information and ideas in a divorce.
The possibility of a faster divorce
Collaborative divorce can sometimes be less time-consuming than litigation. This could not only save a person time, but also reduce costs and stress.
A chance to prepare for the future
With any divorce, there can be the chance for disputes to arise after the divorce is finalized. During the collaborative divorce process, steps can be taken to prepare for this possibility. Specifically, agreements can be negotiated establishing how future disputes will be handled. This could reduce the chances of such future disputes getting out of hand.