• 21
  • February
    2013

As a recent news article explained, traditional divorce can feel like a game of chess. The spouses turn into opponents, with each trying to out-maneuver the other. But divorce doesn't have to be that way. In fact Collaborative Law is a method of divorce that allows both parties to win.

With Collaborative Law, the parties agree that they will settle their divorce through mediation and negotiation, which means they will never step foot in a courtroom. Collaborative Law attorneys say the process treats divorce like a business deal by removing the emotions and the blaming.

A couple who recently went through the Collaborative Law process after 18 years of marriage said their attorneys acted more like their "co-pilots" while the man and woman remained in the drivers' seats. The couple said they enjoyed having full control over the process, and in the end they both got what they wanted.

That is the goal of a Collaborative divorce, after all, for both parties to leave the marriage in the best financial and emotional position possible. This is different from the traditional divorce process, where one party typically ends up satisfied while the other is left angry.

The couple who went through the Collaborative divorce said they are now able to raise their children together and though their relationship has changed, they still have respect for one another. Although not all couples who pursue a Collaborative divorce have children, it is often the reason couples choose this amicable method of divorce.

Collaborative Law also offers a couple more privacy. Under the law, court proceedings are open to the public while divorce settlements negotiated out of court are kept confidential. This is the reason many high-profile couples choose to settle their divorces through mediation instead of litigation.

The Collaborative method is available in Illinois and most other states, but not all family law attorneys are certified to practice Collaborative Law. For more information on the process, talk to an attorney trained in Collaborative Law today.

Source: WISTV 10, "Collaborative Divorce lets couples split with dignity," Heather Biance, Feb. 14, 2013