Since 2001, couples have been able to pursue divorce through collaborative law as an alternative to litigation. The collaborative process allows the couple to create their own solutions to dividing their resources and liabilities and to share their time with the children. The collaborative process can avoid a contested court hearing and provides the couple a chance to control the outcome in their divorce.
Through the collaborative process, parents work through their divorce with the assistance of their collaborative divorce attorneys, as well as neutral experts, mental health and financial professionals. Parties must identify their goals and interest and work toward a resolution that meets those goals. Ultimately, for the process to work successfully the parties must continue to talk about options with each other and the experts to meet as many of their goals as possible. This creates an environment well-suited for parents to work out their differences in an amicable setting, which is likely better for the children in the long-run. Additionally, this process affords parties the opportunity to avoid litigating their problems in a public setting, which is particularly attractive to parties concerned about reputation in the community.
The attorneys at PP&T are trained in collaborative divorces and Lori Truitt is a member of Collaborative Divorce Texas. Whether the divorce is a collaborative or must be litigated, the attorneys with PP&T are committed to ensure that you go through the divorce process with integrity and explore all options that could be available to avoid further conflict.
Although collaborative divorce works well for many couples, it is not the solution for all divorces. There are instances where collaborative divorce would be inappropriate, and the attorneys at PP&T understand that there are some issues that cannot be compromised and that there are times a collaborative process would be unworkable.
- Mental Health Issues – When one party suffers from mental health challenges or addiction, collaborative divorce is more of a challenge if not impossible.
- Physical or emotional abuse – although mental health professionals are available during the collaborative process, when physical or emotional abuse has been part of the family’s history, collaborative may not be the right path. Your attorney will work with you and your mental health providers to help you decide whether the collaborative process works for you.
- Fraud or hidden assets – when one party defrauds another or hides assets, collaborative processes typically fail. Your attorney will help provide you the options in deciding whether collaborative will be a good fit for your family when fraud has been involved.
The attorneys at PP&T are prepared to work for the best interest of your family, whether it’s through collaborative divorce or a more traditional divorce. Contact us today to set up a consultation with one of our attorneys if you need guidance through your divorce.
