Pasadena divorce lawyers want you to know that collaborative law offers many advantages when you are ending your marriage. It is generally quicker and less expensive than going to trial. It also helps promote a better coparenting dynamic for couples who have children together.
If you're a fan of courtroom dramas, you might be confused by the very notion of collaborative law. Law is shown as adversarial on television, but collaborative law encourages troubleshooting and problem solving instead of fighting to win at whatever cost. Sometimes it's best for all parties involved to leave the drama to the TV shows.
Each spouse has a separate attorney for representation during the collaborative law process. They must sign a contractual agreement stating that they will honestly provide all requested information, act respectfully at all times, not threaten litigation to solve disagreements, and insulate any minor children from the contents of the proceedings. If experts are required, such as real estate appraisers or business appraisers, the spouses will share the cost of their services.
The goal of collaborative law is to come up with a settlement with which both parties are happy. If this is not possible, the process ends. The spouses can then go to court, but they will need to obtain new attorneys. The attorneys who took part in the collaborative law process can't represent them in court.
Collaborative law is similar to mediation, but unlike mediation, each party has their own attorney. A mediator is a neutral third party and is generally not licensed to practice law. When an attorney is involved in mediation, it is to make sure the settlement is written to be legally sound.
How Can We Help?
Please call our office at (626) 683-8113 or email us at info@PasadenaLawOffice.com if you need to find an attorney to handle your divorce. Our Pasadena divorce firm has skilled attorneys who are eager to provide the representation you need to handle issues relating to child support, child custody, visitation, alimony, or the distribution of marital assets.