How Is Collaborative Divorce Different Than Traditional Divorce?

Collaborative divorce is different from traditional divorce because it is not adversarial, overwhelming, intimidating or confusing. As a lawyer, I know the good that can come from this alternative dispute resolution process, and have seen many families thrive by working together to create the best possible future for their families. Because your family shapes your life like no other relationship, the health, wellbeing and success of you and your family is of the utmost importance to me.

 

Collaborative divorce is completely different from a traditional divorce. In the collaborative process, the parties, with the support of two collaborative attorneys, a divorce coach and a financial neutral, take the time necessary to address the issues unique to their case and create a lasting divorce settlement without court intervention.

 

During this process, each spouse is represented by a collaborative divorce attorney. At the outset of the process, each spouse signs a participation agreement and agrees to openly and honestly share all relevant information necessary to address the financial and legal issues of their case. All negotiations are conducted in six-way meetings. The divorce coach is a neutral professional team member,  who helps to guide both you and your spouse, in creating a parenting plan for your children.

 

The goal of each six-way meeting is to create acceptable solutions and resolution to various aspects of the divorce to include division of assets/debts, parenting plan for children and future financial arrangements. The setting is safe and structured and is confidential with no public record of what is agreed upon during collaborative divorce meetings. Transparency and integrity are key components to the process and professionalism by all members involved is paramount to success.

 

Traditional divorces are often highly contentious where spouses might purposefully put each other in a negative light in front of a judge to sway a judge’s decision in their favor. Traditional divorce also costs more in fees and time. In addition, spouses are not granted decision-making power through the traditional divorce process. That power is given to the Judge to decide  what is best for you, ,your spouse and your children.  

 

Why allow someone else to control your family’s future? Through collaborative divorce process, you and your spouse are able to effectively communicate and make important decisions about your family together. After all, you know your family best. There is freedom through the collaborative process that a traditional divorce does not offer.

 

For over 30  years, The Hill Law Firm, P.C. has supported divorcing families in the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan area.  If you are in the Overland Park Johnson County, KS and  feel collaborative divorce might be the best option for you and your family, contact me, Elizabeth Hill, to schedule a consultation, or call me at  (913) 381-1500 with any questions you have regarding your divorce options.  Divorce does not need to be a fight.