How does Collaborative Law work?
  1. Each spouse selects a collaborative law attorney and meets with him or her to begin the process. There is no filing of any court documents until the process is complete and the parties have finalized their divorce agreement.
  2. The spouses and their attorneys meet in “four-way” meetings (meaning there are four people present). The divorce agreement (also called the Divorce Decree) could be reached in one session, or it may take several sessions. Typically, it takes 2-4 sessions of about 2 hours each.
  3. Once an agreement is reached, the attorneys draft the agreement, the spouses review and approve the final draft, and the Petition for Divorce is filed at the same time as the Divorce Decree document.

What if we reach an impasse, and can’t reach an agreement on an issue?

Your attorneys can refer you to other professionals, who can assist you in reaching an agreement by providing you more information. For example, if a divorcing couple is unable to agree upon a parenting schedule, they might meet with a child therapist. The therapist can provide in-depth information which can help inform the decision.