How Does Collaborative Divorce Work?

Your divorce will have such a powerful impact on your future, so it is important to give it all the careful attention it deserves. The truth of the matter is that the more divorce terms you and your spouse are able to hammer out between yourselves, the fewer you’ll need for the court to decide on your behalf. And if you are both committed to negotiating terms that work for both of you, a collaborative divorce is a great option. 

Obtaining a collaborative divorce does not mean that you and your divorcing spouse have to be on the best of terms (which can be exceedingly difficult at this juncture in your lives). Instead, pursuing a collaborative divorce signifies that you and your soon-to-be-ex are willing to negotiate in good faith for mutually acceptable divorce terms, and a dedicated Oak Brook divorce attorney with considerable experience in the collaborative divorce process can help you with that. 

Collaborative Divorce: The Basics

The collaborative divorce process consists of a series of meetings between you, your divorcing spouse, your respective divorce attorneys, and the rest of your collaborative divorce team. These meetings are private – unlike the family courtroom of the general divorce process. In these collaborative divorce meetings, you and your divorcing spouse (and your respective divorce attorneys) will share important information, identify your divorce goals and concerns, and broker a divorce settlement that you both consider doable. 

First Things First

To begin, you and your spouse will each retain your own divorce attorney who is well versed in the Illinois collaborative divorce process. Your divorce attorney will attend to all of the following:

• Explaining the collaborative divorce process to you
• Answering any questions you may have
• Preparing you for your upcoming collaborative divorce meetings

Committing to the Process

At your first collaborative meeting, you, your spouse, and your respective attorneys will each sign a Participation Agreement, which indicates that you are all committed to employing the collaborative process in the resolution of all your remaining divorce issues. You and your spouse must ultimately agree not to seek the court’s intervention in your divorce. If either of you does go to court, your collaborative team will be disqualified from continuing to work on your case, which means that you’ll need to hire a new divorce attorney. 

Your Collaborative Team

Because your divorce will affect you and your children’s lives so significantly, collaborative divorce takes a team approach. Depending upon your divorce needs, your team can include any combination of the following:

• A financial professional 
• Divorce coaches 
• A child specialist

These trained professionals will help you better understand the implications of potential divorce terms – and help you make better-informed decisions in the process.

Don’t Wait to Consult with an Experienced Oak Brook Divorce Attorney

A collaborative divorce is a worthy goal, and Cameron H. Goodman at Goodman Law Firm in Oak Brook has a wealth of experience helping clients like you successfully navigate the cooperative divorce process in pursuit of divorce terms that work for them. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us today.