It’s an old story line and one we see in the news all the time with celebrities and other folks who have gained notoriety for a whole host of reasons. Divorces can be messy,
angry and volatile, and they make for great prime time TV court room drama.
In fact, with all that high drama shown in the movies and on prime time TV, many couples don’t know there is another choice. The truth is, you don’t have to get anywhere near a courtroom to get a divorce. You can choose a process that is far more holistic and healing – and ultimately far better for you, your spouse…and your children. And I have yet to meet a couple in my Walnut Creek, CA divorce mediation practice that doesn’t really want to put their children first.
In mediation or collaborative practice you and your spouse agree to avoid court altogether by working in real time toward solutions that work for both of you.
Divorce mediation attorneys who specialize in mediation and collaborative practice have the training to help you navigate this difficult journey with a dignity and purpose that will benefit your entire family by eliminating the win/lose paradigm and replacing that with a process where we reach an agreement that works for both you, your spouse and your kids.
With an experienced and well-trained collaborative practice expert, you can cover a lot of ground: financial issues including child custody and child support, parenting schedules, medical insurance coverage, property division, possible tax consequences, spousal support, to name only a few.
And it’s not rocket science. It basically pulls from the principles that guide all good conflict resolution: 1) you agree to forgo the traditional adversarial proceedings 2) you don’t set out to capitalize on the mistakes of your spouse 3) you agree to get everything out in the open 4) you agree to keep appropriate information confidential 4) and you’ll behave yourselves and treat your spouse as you would want to be treated.
In my 25 years as a divorce and mediation attorney (now practicing in Walnut Creek and serving clients in Contra Costa and Alameda counties). I’ve seen that mediation and collaborative practice confer other benefits as well. mediation uk