The old stereotype of divorce being nasty and draining can be wrong. There is a new way of dealing with divorce that allows you to stay amicable and save your kids – and yourselves – the stress and emotional hardship of dragged out court dates and heated deliberation.
Sounds good, right? Here’s what you need to do: agree to a “collaborative divorce.”
Is it really necessary to drag those couples through court? No matter what type of case you are facing, a collaborative divorce could be the right choice for you if you are simply ready to end your divorce, and are looking to make it as easy as possible.
Collaborative divorce is another form of “Alternative Dispute Resolution” and allows couples to settle their differences without going to court. This in turn means a less stressful, less expensive process. Developed by Minnesota lawyer Stuart Webb, the process consists of parties and attorneys working together to reach an agreement through a non-adversarial process.
Since collaborative divorce is not as governed by rule of law (and thus scheduling of hearings and trials), the process is often times more efficient and less costly, yielding the possibility of complete focus on what the parties desire. There are also no judges or juries deciding the outcome, which puts the power squarely in the hands of the parties themselves.
Having this kind of control oftentimes makes the process more smooth and amicable, which is more conducive to reaching an outcome beneficial to everyone involved, including the children. Additionally, the children are put through less stress throughout the actual process and the parents can set a good example of parenting and putting aside differences to work out problems.
It should also be noted that all of the specialists you need will still be available to you if you choose to pursue this route – lawyers, psychologists, counselors, and financial experts can all weigh in help you work through the various issues pertaining to your divorce.
