Beginning the Process for a Collaborative Divorce
There is no one path through divorce. Many people assume that when a marriage ends, one party files for divorce and the soon-to-be ex-couple meets in the courtroom to decide everything from child custody arrangements to who gets the big television. While the number of amicable divorces is very, very small, a divorce need not be completely adversarial. Couples, even those who don't see eye to eye on a given situation, can work together with the aid of their attorneys in a collaborative law manner in order to resolve most, if not all, issues that arise during a divorce.
The first step is determining your needs. Many people look to a collaborative divorce in order to save themselves time, stress and finances. Are you interested in finding an equitable solution to your problems? Do you want to work through issues like child custody and spousal maintenance and reach a solution that you were truly part of? Would your rather use your money to move forward toward a better future than to fight over every aspect of the past? If you want your divorce process to be less stressful and less expensive, you may do well with a collaborative divorce.
The next step is to find a collaborative divorce attorney who is a good fit for you. With your Twin Cities family law attorney, you will be working through all of the issues with you. Your attorney will be your advocate during this time. A good collaborative divorce attorney will explain the process to you so that you understand the concept of a non-adversarial approach to divorce. Again, couples need not see eye to eye on every issue, but if there is an interest in crafting a divorce agreement that both parties have a say in and create together, then a collaborative divorce may be your best option.
In order to find the right attorney, be sure the person you are hiring can educate you on on the collaborative divorce process. A Minnesota collaborative divorce attorney will work with you and the other party in order to come to the best possible terms. This doesn't mean that you will win every point, or that you will have to concede on every issue. It does mean that you will be working together to find a resolution that fits for your situation.
The emotional and financial savings gained by working with an attorney who is well-versed in collaborative divorce will allow you to focus on moving forward, secure in the knowledge that your divorce agreement was created jointly with your spouse because you worked on it together.
