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Let Stockton Collaborative Divorce Lawyer Help You Divorce without the Courts
If you and your spouse are planning on divorce, but are uninterested in going through the complications, delays, costs, and hostilities often associated with the divorce process, then a collaborative divorce may be the right choice. Collaborative divorce is a more informal, less abrasive process that maximizes the best interests of the spouses and their children — but it requires a different sort of legal advocacy. With the guidance of a Central Valley and Stockton collaborative divorce lawyer you and your spouse can legally separate without the need for court.
What is a Collaborative Divorce in California?
Collaborative divorce is essentially a “mediated” divorce process between two spouses who are interested in resolving the matter without excessive court interference. It is popular between spouses who may not harbor feelings of “hostility” towards one another, and are therefore emotionally equipped to pursue a negotiated marital settlement to dissolve the marriage with a Stockton collaborative divorce lawyer.
Collaborative divorce involves informal discussions with attorneys and experts providing assistance throughout, culminating in a final settlement agreement that furthers the interests of both spouses (and their children, if applicable).
This divorce approach has a number of benefits: it’s cost-efficient compared to traditional divorce proceedings, it’s time-efficient, and it allows for additional control over the process than court-based proceedings.
Unique Aspects of the Collaborative Process
Agreement Not to Litigate
When spouses agree to collaborative divorce, they also agree not to engage in further litigation. This ensures that each spouse will put in their best effort to resolve the situation amicably, and in a way that respects both spouses’ needs and concerns.
That isn’t to say that litigation is impossible. If the collaborative divorce process does not work out, then the spouses can begin the standard divorce process — though they are required by law to hire a different set of attorneys.
Your Stockton Collaborative Divorce Lawyer Facilitates Team-Building
Each spouse must work with their own attorney and set of experts who can provide assistance throughout the collaborative divorce process. For example, each spouse may want to hire an accountant and a psychiatric specialist to give testimony regarding various aspects relevant to the divorce (i.e., the assets, mental health, etc.). The cost of hiring the attorneys and experts is typically split between the two spouses though the exact numbers can be, and often are, negotiated.
Complete Access to Information
Spouses who agree to collaborative divorce also agree to disclose all relevant information to the divorce (i.e., accounts and other assets). This “trust” is fundamental, as in a collaborative divorce there is no court-based mechanism for investigating and evaluating the disclosed information.
Contact a Central Valley and Stockton Collaborative Divorce Lawyer at MCJG for Divorce Assistance
Divorce can be costly, frustrating, and highly-demanding. The trauma associated with the end of a marriage — emotional, financial, social, and personal — is difficult enough for many couples to endure. Simplifying the divorce process and making it “collaborative” as opposed to “hostile” can alleviate some of these difficulties.
Here at McKinley, Conger, Jolley & Galarneau, LLP, we regularly represent clients in divorce proceedings, including those that involve spouses who are willing to collaborate and resolve the matter amicably.
If you’d like to speak to an experienced Stockton collaborative divorce lawyer at MCJG, contact us online to schedule a consultation or call 209-477-8171 Though we are located in Stockton, CA, our family law attorneys serve clients throughout the state of California, including the Central Valley.
