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For many couples who are beginning the divorce process, finding a solution that will be beneficial to both sides can seem like an impossible task to accomplish. The ending of a marriage is a difficult process for both spouses even under the “best” of circumstances. Luckily, collaborative divorce offers a new way for former spouses to think about divorce.
A Fresh Take on the Divorce Process
Divorce often conjures up images of hurt and angry spouses engaged in a long drawn-out court proceeding. This doesn’t mean, however, that this is inevitable for you. In fact, collaborative divorce is designed for couples who understand that their marriage is no longer working out, but still want to end it in a respectful and amicable manner.
How It Works
Like traditional divorce proceedings, during the collaborative divorce process each person has their own attorney looking out for their best interests. But what makes this process different is the fact that both attorneys are working toward the end goal of a successful divorce agreement, personally crafted to your specific family needs, without the need to argue it out in a courtroom and leave your fate in the judge’s hands.
Collaborative divorce attorneys are highly skilled in advising and gently guiding their clients through the division of assets and finances to come to a favorable settlement for both parties. Even when dealing with difficult issues like custody or alimony, your collaborative divorce attorney would much rather see both sides come to a successful agreement rather than going to court.
Why Haven’t I Heard of Collaborative Divorce Before?
Collaborative divorce is a relatively new concept in New Jersey. This means that some divorce attorneys may be a bit wary of the new process because they are still unfamiliar with it. From the moment they enter law school, attorneys are taught to think about the ideal outcome of a case in their client’s best interest only. But with this new divorce option, attorneys work together as part of a team that, depending on the case, may also include divorce “coaches,” accountants, and financial planners to achieve the best outcome. Although it may take a bit of time for some attorneys to get on board, this new way of approaching divorce can be beneficial to attorneys and most importantly, their clients.
A Better Choice for Your Family
Approaching the divorce process with a fresh new take can also help to save significantly on time and money. In the majority of divorce cases that go to litigation, both parties can end up feeling like no one really “won.” That’s because after spending months, sometimes years, in court the final decision is not in your hands but in the hands of a judge. Collaborative divorce on the other hand, leaves the final decisions up to you and your spouse.
Divorce is not only hard on both spouses involved, but often on their family and friends as well. This unique approach to divorce tends to reduce the likelihood of heated arguments and can help protect children from the crossfire.
Divorce coaches on your collaborative divorce team can also ease the transition and make the whole process run much smoother. Sometimes looking for a different way to solve a problem can lead to a better outcome for everyone involved. Give yourself and your loved ones peace of mind by thinking outside the box with a collaborative divorce.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that collaborative divorce is generally more effective than other methods. With collaborative divorce, both you and your spouse each have your own attorney and you work in a team environment in which additional professionals are added as necessary. The end result is that both you and your spouse get “the best bang for your buck” because you are paying for only those professionals that can help the most. As a result, legal fees and stress levels are generally lower in collaborative divorce than in divorce litigation.
