What Is Collaborative Law, and How Can it Make Divorce More Affordable?
Posted on August 24, 2020 in Collaborative Law
With so many Illinois residents out of work or working from home due to the pandemic — and no real end in the immediate future — many couples are delaying divorce plans simply because of the expense. While it is true that the legal fees involved in a divorce can add up to thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars once the divorce is finalized, this should not be prohibitive to either of you, especially if you both know a divorce will help you and your family during this time of reduced/lost incomes and staying at home together more often than usual.
Collaborative Law as a Potential Cost-Saver
There are plenty of ways to make a divorce more affordable, including pursuing an uncontested divorce or determining whether the court may require the wealthier spouse to cover the other spouse’s attorney’s fees in a more fiercely litigated contested divorce or an otherwise complex divorce. In many cases, collaborative divorce can be more affordable than a divorce that involves litigation.
In a collaborative divorce, both spouses and their attorneys agree to cooperatively negotiate a divorce settlement without resorting to litigation, while also making the commitment to be open and honest with each other at all times. Collaborative divorces allow both parties to work together outside of court through this increasingly popular alternative dispute resolution (ADR) method to reach a more agreeable resolution to the issues in their divorce. In addition to securing the terms of a divorce decree that benefits both sides fairly and equitably, collaborative divorce can also foster and maintain civility throughout the divorce process, helping spouses ensure that they can have a more amicable divorce.
The major way that collaborative divorce can save money is by saving time. If successful, collaborative divorce can help couples reach agreements more quickly and avoid repeated court appearances, which will result in lower legal and court fees. However, unsuccessful collaborative divorce can end up costing more in the long run, because if collaborative divorce negotiations fail, your lawyers are required to resign from the case, meaning you will have to hire new lawyers and start the process over. You should make sure both you and your spouse are committed to completing the collaborative divorce process through cooperation and compromise.
Contact a DuPage County Collaborative Divorce Lawyer
During difficult economic times, you might think you and your spouse cannot afford a divorce, especially one which requires attorneys who are trained in collaborative law. If you are unsure whether a collaborative divorce will work for you, contact a Wheaton, IL divorce attorney at 630-871-1002 for a free consultation. The knowledgeable and caring team at Andrew Cores Family Law Group can help you and your spouse figure out what is best for you financially when it comes to resolving your divorce-related issues.
Sources:
https://www.liveabout.com/things-you-need-to-know-about-collaborative-divorce-1103296
https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/publications/youraba/2018/july-2018/neither-mediators-nor-negotiators--collaborative-lawyers-emphasi/
