Getting divorced is difficult. It can be mentally and physically taxing. You are going to have to learn a new way to communicate and interact with your spouse if you are going to work out details of important issues such as the care of your children, how to pay bills, and how to divide your belongings. During divorce, you are likely facing many life-challenging decisions and you need help. Collaborative divorce allows you and your spouse to move forward in a positive, cooperative way with a mutual goal of finding a resolution that meets both of your needs. Below are some answers to common questions regarding collaborative divorce, the benefits, how it works, and how much it costs.
What are the benefits of collaborative divorce?
There are many benefits to collaborative divorce as an alternative to traditional divorce litigation. First and foremost, you avoid going to court, which for many people is intimidating and even traumatic. Using the collaborative practice approach, you are in control of the outcome of your case, in conjunction with your spouse and the trained team of professionals assisting you through the process, rather than relying on a judge to make major decisions about your family for you. Further, the collaborative process fosters and encourages cooperation and communication, as opposed to traditional litigation, which very frequently leads to years of acrimony, anger, and bitterness.
How much does collaborative divorce cost?
It can be challenging to predict how much any divorce will cost. Dealing with complicated legal issues can increase the cost, but a common reason that a divorce gets very expensive is because strong emotions lead to conflict and a lack of trust. When you engage in the collaborative divorce process, you can trust that no one will be a party to secrets or game-playing and that saves you money. Collaborative divorce helps people manage the emotions that arise in a divorce and communicate effectively – which reduces conflict that saves you money.
Does collaborative divorce get finished faster than going to court?
In collaborative divorce you control the pace of the process, unlike a conventional divorce when you must fit in to the court’s schedule, which often involves continuances when the court schedule is overcrowded. In collaborative divorce, if you need time, you get the time you need. If you are motivated to get things done quickly, you can move through the process much more quickly than you would in court.
Moving on from any broken relationship can be difficult, but sometimes it is even harder to do that when the divorce process itself aggravates the pain. Meaningful engagement with the collaborative divorce process can provide a less painful alternative. Contact the law office of Bartholomew & Wasznicky today for more answers to your questions about beginning the collaborative divorce process.