Nowadays, many Californians choose to settle their divorce outside of the courtroom through a collaborative divorce. The collaborative divorce process allows divorcing couples to save a lot of money and time, avoid the formality of the courtroom, and allows a lot more freedom for discussing issues that come up in the divorce.
Who is involved in a collaborative divorce?
There are multiple parties involved in the collaborative divorce process, each with their own area of expertise. Here are some of the parties who will likely take part in your collaborative divorce.
Attorneys
Generally, the process will begin with each party hiring an attorney to represent them throughout the process. Ideally, your divorce attorney will be experienced with mediation and collaborative law and will be experts in negotiation. However, some attorneys are only familiar with the traditional ‘courtroom’ approach to divorce, so it is important to make sure you select your attorney wisely.
Mediators
While a mediator is not necessary in the collaborative divorce process, they may come in handy if your attorney and your spouse’s attorney are unable to agree on certain issues.
Experts
Neutral experts may be brought into the collaborative divorce to weigh in on common issues, including property division and child custody. Some of the most common types of experts include:
- Business valuation experts
- Appraisers
- Accountants
- Financial advisors
- Therapists
- Psychiatrists
Even if you are involved in an amicable divorce, where you get along with your ex, it is likely that there are at least a couple of issues you may not agree on. A collaborative divorce allows you to work out these issues with the help of qualified attorneys and experts, without having to deal with the stress of going to court.
