New Jersey couples who are considering divorce have several options. They can choose to go through litigation, which is typically associated with trauma and stress; mediation, in which a third-party facilitates negotiations; or collaborative law, which requires both parties to commit to working together to resolve their issues and reach mutual agreements. The latter has become the chosen method of divorce for more and more couples.
Before collaboration can commence, both parties must sign a contract in which they state their commitment to be fair in negotiations and interactions, and to be transparent and forthcoming with financial information and all other paperwork and documentation. Those present will be only the spouses and their respective collaborative law attorneys, who will only be allowed to represent them while they can work together. Any signs of noncompliance with the signed contract will force the attorneys to recuse themselves, and different lawyers will have to be retained.
However, compliance will allow the couple to find constructive ways of resolving issues by providing them both fair chances to express their concerns and air their views. Experienced collaborative law attorneys will encourage communication and compromise when necessary. They can provide valuable advice and legal guidance throughout the process. Furthermore, additional resources, such as financial and tax advisors, therapists, and others, can provide extra support and guidance.
Utilizing the services of a collaborative law attorney has been found by many New Jersey couples to be particularly advantageous when there are children involved. The non-adversarial nature of the process allows most of them to maintain loving parent-child relationships throughout the divorce and beyond. Another advantage is that the experience could teach parents the skills of negotiation that could be invaluable when disputes arise in the future.
Source: Huffington Post, “Why Collaborative Divorce is a Route Worth Considering“, Dr. Nikki Martinez, Oct. 1, 2017