Collaborative Divorce Is An Alternative

to the Adversarial Court Experience

Redefining the End of Relationships through Collaborative Law

Unlike traditional divorce warfare, collaboration cannot be imposed on either party - it is entirely voluntary.  The essence of collaborative law (CL) is agreement.  The first and most important agreement that must be reached is to engage the process itself. 

Collaborative process operates as an 'awakened' approach to untangling the economic, legal and emotional bonds of relationships in conflict, with dignity.  Collaborative divorce is a radical departure from the experience of the adversarial model for dispute resolution.  While it may be a transformative end to relationship for some people, the practical benefits make the process an outstanding alternative to conflict.

The involvement of a collaborative team distinguishes CL.  Parties unwind their affairs in a fair and respectful fashion with the help of trained collaborative professionals.  Unlike mediators, these professionals are not neutral.  Unlike traditional advocates, however, they also have an obligation to ensure the integrity and fairness of the process itself.  Traditional divorce exploits people's vulnerabilities.  CL makes sure that this exploitation does not occur or continue.  Unlike judges collaborative practices never determine outcomes for the parties, instead ensuring that the parties themselves do.

CL practitioners assure that a safe atmosphere is provided to both participants, that all legal and financial information is exchanged, and that the emotional and legal unwinding that unfolds occurs in manageable steps.  Within the Coachella Valley we have a dedicated suite of offices at Palm Springs for our collaborative cases.

Collaborative professionals maintain an even balance of power during the process between the two sides that may not have previously existed, which is a very different experience from litigation.  In most relationships one person often is responsible over certain aspects of the family business or family unit, including finances, or children, while the other makes different contributions.  When marriages work a couple is sharing these in cooperative and efficient ways.   If the relationship unravels this diversification can serve to advantage one spouse over the other.  In litigated cases much money and energy is expended in an attempt to guard this power, to wrestle it away, or in seeking pay-back for past imbalances.  

Collaborative professionals help parties to see that power imbalances are a barrier to settling their affairs in divorce or partnership dissolution.  Moving on depends upon exchanging information that was only pertinent to one spouse or partner before, and helping to train the other how to manage their affairs.  The tension of divorce offers positive opportunities to move into new territories.

Collaborative process is not disguised marital or other therapy.  If you attempted marital counseling unsuccessfully, that has nothing to do with whether you can successfully navigate divorce.  Collaborative process does not require that you heal your relationship wounds.  Instead, it allows an environment to exist where you don't gouge new ones.  

Consider a Collaborative Outcome!

CONTACT THE DESERT COLLABORATIVE DIVORCE AND
PARTNERSHIP DISSOLUTION TEAM
TO SCHEDULE A FREE ORIENTATION SESSION!