Ever thought about “how” you’re going to get divorced? Did you assume that you have to hire a lawyer and go to court to engage in a nasty, heated “battle of the exes”? News flash… you can choose to work together with your spouse and each of your lawyers to come up with a win-win solution to all of your post-separation issues. It’s called Collaborative Divorce, and here are my Top 5 Reasons to Divorce Collaboratively:
- Privacy: Documents filed in Court are a matter of public record… forever. If you go before a Judge, you will likely be in a courtroom where any member of the public may attend. By contrast, in the Collaborative Process, you and your spouse meet privately in 4-way meetings with your lawyers to negotiate your agreement and settle all your matters.
- Time Effective: You’re a busy person. You don’t need to have your divorce consume your life for the next 2-5 years, as the litigation system can offer. Get your matter resolved in an estimated 2-6 months using the Collaborative Process!
- Reduce Stress: Emotions will consume you during your separation especially as you and your spouse try to work thru your issues. Work towards a common goal of finding a solution that works for your entire family, rather than working against each other in the adversarial court process.
- Maintain Control: Don’t leave the decisions about how you will lead your post-divorce life to a Judge. Keep the decision-making process between you and your ex, with the expertise of your lawyer.
- Reduce Negative Impact on Children: How you conduct yourself during your divorce will have an impact on your children. If you are in a heated battle with your ex, your children will know it and will suffer. If you are working with your ex to keep the conflict at bay, your children will be more resilient in the end.
How did you feel after a Collaborative Divorce? What about after a heated court battle? Share your stories with me – send me an email or follow me on Twitter at @sdobsonlawyer and send me a tweet.