Going through divorce is a difficult and painful process for just about everyone. However, if you and your spouse generally agree on most terms and have an uncontested divorce on the table, you may have options to help you save time, money and hassle.
Collaborative divorce law serves as one of these options. But will it work for you?
The job of personal representatives
Forbes discusses numerous ways to stay out of court while dealing with divorce. They mention collaborative law among their options for alternatives to litigation, which is a popular choice for many.
Collaborative law involves you and your partner each having a personal representative. You then hold all of your meetings with all four parties. The representatives do most of the talking and negotiating, and they can also explain legal ins and outs to you and your partner, which is a major benefit as divorce often gets complicated quickly.
You and your partner will sign an agreement at the start stating that you will not take the case to court. If this changes for whatever reason, you will have to start over with other attorneys, as the personal representatives will not see you through the court case.
Who this does and does not work for
This option suits couples best in the event that you have relatively minor disagreements that you could work through with extra guidance. They can fill this role and help you and your partner reach an agreeable compromise.
It may not work for couples who have extremely complicated assets or who simply cannot seem to agree on anything important, even with the aid of a neutral third party.