• Divorce
• Child Custody
• Financial Issues

The Family Mediation and Collaborative Law Center was founded to help individuals deal with any family-related conflict or dispute in a rational, dignified and respectful manner.

Everyone enters into a marriage or long-term relationship expecting that it will last for their lifetime. The reality is that good people enter into marriages with the best intentions and despite their efforts, the relationship ends. Ending a marriage or other long-term relationship is generally very difficult for everyone involved.

Divorce is a process. You should learn about all of the options available to you in making your way through the divorce process. The way you go through the process can affect how you and your family members feel and behave towards one another when the divorce is complete. In the past, most couples may have believed that litigation was their only option for addressing family law issues. However, there are alternatives.

The collaborative process allows spouses to maintain control. The collaborative process empowers spouses and involves them directly in reaching a negotiated settlement through a series of four-party conferences. Spouses still retain separate attorneys in a collaborative case. One of the major differences from the adversarial process is that the parties and their attorneys sign an agreement that if they are unable to resolve their issues through negotiation, they will not resort to the litigation process with the same attorneys they used for the collaborative process. Attorneys are therefore truly committed to a negotiated resolution.

Everyone commits to good faith negotiation in a civil and constructive manner. The parties also commit to full disclosure. If the parties successfully negotiate a resolution it will be reduced to a written contract that can, if necessary, be enforced through the courts.

The collaborative process can help the parties maintain a cordial relationship once the divorce has concluded. This is especially important when there are children involved. The process is usually less stressful and much more informative than the litigated alternative.

Divorce does not have to be a battle. Spouses who take advantage of a collaborative approach will still have their differences, but they can work together in a respectful setting to resolve those differences. When the divorce is finalized, the family may have taken on a different form, but the family ties will always remain.

Our website offers more detailed information about mediation and collaborative law to help you make informed decisions about how to address the conflicts involved in your unique situation. Please contact us with any additional questions or concerns and we will be glad to assist you.