Leap Frog Divorce: Want to Know What Happens in a Collaborative Divorce
Transcript
Want to know what happens in a collaborative divorce? It’s pretty simple! Here are the seven steps you can expect throughout the process.
1. Choose a Collaborative Divorce Lawyer
The first step is to choose a lawyer who believes in using the collaborative process to help families get divorced in a better way.
2. Build Your Professional Team
Work with your lawyer to select the other members of your collaborative divorce team. These typically include a neutral financial professional and a facilitator who can help you and your spouse communicate and work through important decisions.
3. Sign a Participation Agreement
Next, you’ll sign a contract called a participation agreement. This agreement outlines the commitments both spouses make during the collaborative divorce process, including:
- Communicating constructively and respectfully.
- Fully disclosing all important information needed for the case.
- Maintaining the confidentiality of communications during the process.
- Agreeing not to use the court to intervene in resolving the issues covered by the collaborative process.
- Making funds available from family finances to pay the professional fees for both spouses.
4. Meet With Your Collaborative Divorce Team
You’ll meet with your spouse and the professional team, which includes both lawyers, the financial professional, and the facilitator.
During these meetings, you’ll discuss your goals and interests, explore options for resolving disputes, identify the information needed to make informed decisions, and work creatively toward an agreement that addresses your family’s needs.
5. Finalize the Legal Documents
Once you and your spouse reach an agreement, you and your lawyer will work together to prepare and finalize the necessary legal documents.
6. Sign the Final Documents
You and your spouse will meet with your collaborative divorce team for a closing meeting to sign the final documents.
7. File the Documents With the Court
Finally, one of the lawyers will file the necessary documents with the court to complete the process. Your divorce will be finalized once the court’s requirements have been satisfied and the final judgment is entered.
That’s it! The collaborative divorce process provides a structured way for couples to work through their differences, make important decisions together, and reach an agreement without relying on traditional courtroom litigation.
