People think of divorce as a war or a series of pitched battles that pit former spouses against one another. Litigation often leads to this sort of acrimonious approach.
When spouses go to court to argue over custody or property division, they can become quite aggressive with one another. There are obvious issues with this approach, including how it can make divorce take longer and cost more money. A very acrimonious divorce is also harder on the children that the couple shares.
Collaborative divorce can be a calmer alternative to divorce litigation. Many couples now consider this approach to minimize conflict and expenses in their divorces.
How collaborative divorce works
Rather than pitting you against your ex as opponents, collaborative divorce requires that you work with one another. Each spouse will have their own lawyer to look out for their best interests.
Divorcing spouses must cooperate and negotiate settlements to succeed in collaborative divorce proceedings. The process might involve you and your ex sitting down together with your attorneys or having your attorneys directly negotiate with one another while relaying the concessions and changes to each of you.
Eventually, you can compromise in some areas and hold firm on others until you reach terms that both of you feel are appropriate. At that point, you can then both sign an agreement and proceed with filing an uncontested divorce.
Collaborative divorce can be faster and cheaper than a litigated divorce. It also reduces the bad blood between spouses, making it easier for them to successfully co-parent with one another later. Considering collaborative divorce before you file could lead to an easier and calmer separation.