Collaborative divorce embraces the idea of a couple working together to make decisions and reach an agreement. It aims to do this outside of the courtroom. This is a popular concept because it does help to reduce stress, increase cooperation, lower costs and speed up the process. With its many benefits, collaborative divorce can be a welcome change from the traditional divorce. However, you may wonder if it is a legal process since it does not involve the court.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, collaborative methods in a divorce have always been legal. The courts actually like it when you can settle things outside the courtroom. One of the main perks of this type of divorce is that it does not take up the time of a judge or court. In a contested divorce, the judge has a lot on his or her hands. Essentially, he or she will make all the decisions or at least most of the decisions for a couple. This not only takes a lot of the court’s time, but also takes the power away from you and your spouse. You are at the mercy of the judge, which is not always a good thing.
Collaborative divorce allows you to customize the details. You know best what is going to work for your family, so being able to work together with your spouse to iron out the details is a benefit for everyone. It enables you to have some control in a situation where you may feel like you are losing a lot.
Lawmakers in the state recognize just how beneficial this process is, so they enacted the Pennsylvania Collaborative Law Act. This law helps sets guidelines and ensures the agreement you make is legal and binding.