A lengthy and often contentious divorce in court is hard on everyone in the family.
Concern for the effect on their children and future family relationships is why many couples turn to the more respectful option of collaborative divorce.
Understanding how it works
The Collaborative Law Process Act (CLPA) became effective in the state of Florida on July 1, 2017. Collaborative divorce is a form of alternative dispute resolution. It is a private process as opposed to litigation, which is open to public scrutiny. The parties work with their own lawyers both separately and as a group to create a mutually satisfactory divorce agreement. The parties set the pace, but as compared with litigation, collaborative divorce is usually much faster and therefore less expensive. It is common for outside professionals, such as neutral financial advisors, certified public accounts and specialists in children’s mental health and wellbeing to join the legal team.
Seeing the benefits
In collaborative divorce, all information remains confidential. The parties share information through open communication, a process that usually continues into the post-divorce era, especially among those engaged in co-parenting. This is a respectful, productive process whereby the focus is on the best interests of the children. It is much easier for the entire family to manage than a potentially bitter court battle.
Moving forward
One of the goals of collaborative divorce is to position couples to move confidently and without rancor to the next stage of their lives. This is a divorce option that seeks to uphold rather than tear down the family structure. The focus is on helping to build and maintain family relationships in a post-divorce world.
