Many couples pursue collaborative divorce because it eliminates the stresses of going to court while saving them money. It also allows the couple to retain a higher level of control over the details of their divorce, such as how their property is divided.
Because collaborative divorce requires the couple to cooperate and compromise, it is not ideal for all couples. During a divorce, emotions can run high and in some cases, a couple who initially thinks they are suited to collaborative divorce finds that they cannot successfully complete the process. When a couple is in this position, they can pursue alternative divorce methods.
Talk to your Spouse About your Divorce Goals
If you are hitting a roadblock with your collaborative divorce, talk to your spouse about the issue to see if you can work around it. This might require you to involve an outside professional, like a real estate appraiser, to provide insight. If the difficulty is not with an aspect of your divorce settlement and instead, with your ability to cooperate, talk to your spouse about finding ways you can agree and what you can do when you “agree to disagree.”
If you cannot complete a collaborative divorce, you can try another method. If you do this, you will start your divorce over from scratch and generally, you will have to work with a different lawyer.
Consider Divorce Mediation
Divorce mediation has some similarities with collaborative divorce, but it involves a neutral third party who guides the couple toward their divorce settlement. This individual is known as a mediator. He or she facilitates conversations between the divorcing couple to help them make agreements and resolve conflicts about the aspects of their divorce settlement.
Consider Going to Court
You might have to head to the courtroom to complete your divorce through litigation. If this is the case, work with a lawyer who has experience handling this type of divorce.
Litigation can be expensive and stressful, but sometimes it is the only way to successfully complete a divorce. The court can protect your rights and interests by taking control of your divorce. Perhaps the greatest departure from mediation and collaborative law to the traditional divorce method is the amount of contact the divorcing couple has with each other. Generally, couples who are engaged in courtroom divorces are advised not to have contact with each other during the divorce process.
Work with an Experienced Winter Park Divorce Lawyer
Collaborative divorce can work for some couples, but it is not the right course of action for all divorces. If you reach the conclusion that collaborative divorce is not for you once you are partially through the process, you can end it and complete the divorce through another method. To learn more about your divorce options, contact Aubrey Law to set up your initial consultation with an experienced Winter Park divorce lawyer.
Resource:
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