What is Collaborative Divorce?
Collaborative divorce, which originated in Minnesota and has spread worldwide, is a cooperative, completely private approach to helping couples and families make decisions when they are facing separation or divorce. It uses a team approach to help guide decision making, with three main goals in mind:
1. Resolve issues more efficiently than in litigation;
2. Manage expenses by using resources where they will do the most good; and
3. Reach an optimal result for the family in all aspects (both personal and financial) so that all concerned can move forward into brighter futures.
Who Is On the Team? What Is Their Training?
The collaborative model is flexible and can be molded to fit each couple’s unique needs. Your team can be built to include any or all of the following:
• Family or child specialists, or coaches (licensed mental health professionals)
• Financial specialists (Certified Divorce Financial Analysts)
• Attorneys who have been trained in the collaborative process
• Other expert neutrals to help with appraisals of pensions, real estate or businesses
How Does Collaborative Divorce Help You Stay Out of Court?
In Collaborative Divorce, couples use open communication and help from their Family/Child Specialist to reach detailed parenting plans without custody disputes. They reach agreement on a future financial plan with the help of their Financial Specialist. Attorneys are available for consultation throughout the process, but couples save a great deal of money when they are able to work with their specialists as neutrals (one on one). At the end of the process, the agreements are drafted into legal language by the collaborative attorneys and submitted to the court to be finalized – no court hearings necessary.
All parties – spouses and each spouse’s attorney – sign an agreement to resolve the divorce outside of court. While couples are free to leave the Collaborative process at any time, and in fact do not waive any rights to work in the Collaborative process, the process is successful because couples begin fairly quickly to see the progress they are making. The Collaborative Professionals limit their services to the Process once a Participation Agreement is signed with a couple and are prohibited from soliciting other types of work. Attorneys who work with couples in the Collaborative Process are prohibited from litigating against either spouse in future. Financial Specialists are prohibited from soliciting financial management work, and Family/Child Specialists are prohibited from seeking work with the family as therapists.
We’re a Phone Call Away
Collaborative Divorce Minnesota is based in Edina and works with collaborative professionals who are located throughout the Twin Cities metro area. Our team is available to answer any questions you might have. Please call us at 952-405-2015 or send us a message using the form on our contact page.