Family Law

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Collaborative Law Is a Cooperative Method for Resolving Family Disputes

The collaborative law approach to divorce and family disputes is not for everyone. If you see a strong possibility that no amicable resolution is available on certain issues, then in order to protect your interests adequately, litigation may be a necessary step in your divorce and a commitment to resolve your divorce case through negotiation and compromise probably will not work out too well.

But if you and your divorcing spouse are able to be open and honest during discussions with your attorney by your side, and if you see a good chance of resolving the remaining issues through negotiation or mediation, then a collaborative divorce might make excellent sense in your situation. Contact the law firm of Stebelton Snider in Lancaster for more information.

How Does Collaborative Law Work?

Collaborative divorce is nothing less than a mutual commitment between the spouses to keep their case out of court. You will not be forced into any agreement, but you will be expected to resolve any disagreements through negotiation, mediation, or another alternative dispute resolution technique.

Each spouse will still be advised by an attorney who owes you the same duty of zealous representation that you can expect in a conventional divorce. The main difference is that the objective on all issues will be a negotiated agreement rather than a contested hearing where the judge makes a decision.

On complex issues having to do with property division or child custody, the parties can work with experts such as accountants, appraisers, tax advisers, or child psychologists in order to establish a factual base to work from. Collaborative law can resolve complicated problems as well as simple ones, provided the parties are committed to finding the common ground for compromise and agreement.

If you reach an impasse and wind up taking a disputed matter to court, you will legally be required to get new lawyers. The expense and delay involved with substituting counsel after months of negotiations provide a powerful incentive to make collaborative divorce work.

Call Stebelton Snider to Find Out Whether Collaborative Law Is Right for You

The collaborative approach can work well in other family law situations, too — modification or enforcement proceedings, paternity cases, grandparent visitation issues, or domestic partnership breakups. If you are interested in learning whether collaborative law might work in your case, contact Stebelton Snider in Lancaster, Ohio, at 740-654-4141 for more information.