When a California married couple chooses divorce as the most viable option to resolving their relationship disputes, they may want to find a way to sever their ties without going to court. Especially if they have children, there is typically quite a bit of negotiating that must take place before each spouse can move forward to his or her own future lifestyle. Collaborative law may help those seeking out-of-court settlements.
In the 1990s, a group of attorneys developed a system for those who wised to simplify the divorce process. It only works if both spouses are determined to work together in an amicable fashion to achieve a fair and agreeable settlement to their divorce. All issues, including child custody, finances, property division and anything else divorce-related may be discussed in collaborative meetings.
If parents are able to come up with an agreed-upon parenting arrangement, for instance, they would then need only to seek the court’s approval rather than formally litigate the matter in front of a judge. Each spouse attendsand negotiation meetings alongside his or her own attorney. The attorneys are meant to facilitate peaceful discussions and advise clients how best to proceed to protect their rights achieve their ultimate goals.
Although the collaborative law process is mainly used in a family law setting, businesses and employers also choose it as an option for seeking swift resolutions to problems that arise. Where divorce is concerned, an experienced California attorney can provide effective representation either in or out of a courtroom during any and all negotiations or proceedings. A first logical step to take to determine if a collaborative effort would work in a particular situation is to request a meeting with a family law attorney in one’s area.
Source: FindLaw, “Collaborative Divorce: Overview“, Accessed on Oct. 2, 2017