byAlma Abell

When a couple files for divorce, they have choices to make as to what kind of legal help they’ll hire. Some people end up in a long, contentious divorce, and others easily agree upon division of property and child custody. However, most cases fall somewhere in the middle, and for these people, collaborative divorce is a good option.

The Collaborative Divorce Process

In collaborative divorce (also called collaborative law or practice), spouses negotiate an amenable agreement with professional assistance. Each spouse hires a collaborative Divorce Attorney Long Island NY for advice and assistance, and they meet both separately and together. Collaborative divorces often involve other professionals such as accountants and child custody experts.

In most cases, spouses and attorneys sign an agreement requiring the lawyers to withdraw if the case is forced into litigation. You’ll eventually have to go to family court to get the divorce legitimized, but with a collaborative divorce, that phase of the case is rather brief. Once all issues are agreed upon, the legal part is an uncontested, simple procedure.

How a Collaborative Divorce Can Help

There are a few ways that a collaborative divorce can reduce the expense and acrimony between spouses, while giving results comparable to what you’d get in court. To expedite the process, divorcing spouses can:

Voluntarily exchange information

Agree on legal procedures

Negotiate a fair settlement

Decide together how to handle decisions after the divorce

Saving with Collaborative Divorce

Even the most amicable divorces cost something. However, couples going through the collaborative divorce process spend about half as much as those who employ a litigious technique and about 25% of the cost of taking the case to trial do. When couples willingly share financial information, less money is spent trying to uncover hidden property and assets (also known as the ‘discovery phase’ in a divorce proceeding).

Whether spouses use collaborative divorce techniques from the beginning of the procedure, or only for a portion of the case, doing so can save time, frustration and money. Perhaps more importantly, this type of divorce allows both parties to retain a measure of dignity and privacy. If you need more information on hiring a collaborative Divorce Attorney Long Island NY, Browse Site for details.