When most people hear the words “divorce proceedings”, it conjures up scary images of impersonal court rooms and the airing of the marriage’s dirty laundry in court. Feelings of embarrassment and uncertainty are also common. However, most people are unaware that Mecklenburg County provides an alternative to the traditional adversarial divorce proceedings. This relatively new concept in the family law court systems is called collaborative law.
Just like the name states, collaborative law allows parties to work together, with their attorneys, instead of against each other. This approach allows parties to decide what will work best for their family’s needs, instead of a judge making these decisions. Many families find that there are several emotional benefits to the process. Attorneys working in a collaborative law divorce are working toward similar goals, giving respect to each side of the case, and they are trying to create solutions that work for both parties’ needs. In addition, private financial information of the parties will be kept out of public court records.
In addition to the emotional benefits for all parties involved, all discussions and decisions during a collaborative law divorce will be made outside the courtroom, meaning a lengthy and costly litigation is not needed.
Although collaborative law is still an emerging area of family law, the benefits of this dignified process have been numerous. In order to proceed with a collaborative law, clients need insure their attorney is a collaborative law certified attorney. If you feel collaborative law may be right for you and your family, please visit Mecklenburg County’s collaborative law website http://www.mecklenburgcollaborative.org/ for more information.
