Dissolving a marriage can be a contentious process, especially for couples with acrimonious relationships. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid the long drawn-out process that litigating a divorce can turn out to be. For instance, more and more couples have begun turning to collaborative divorce as a viable option when dissolving a marriage. To find out more about collaborative divorce and whether it is right for you and your family, please contact a member of our high asset divorce legal team for advice.

Confidential Proceedings

Collaborative divorce is an alternative to standard divorce proceedings that involves not only attorneys, but also financial planners and family therapists, all of whom are focused on negotiating a settlement agreement between the parties that serve the best interests of both spouses. In addition to giving the parties more of a say in creating their own settlement agreements, collaborative divorce also allows couples with significant assets to divide their property as they see fit in a confidential setting. Most divorces that are litigated in court are a matter of public record, which can create difficulties for business owners and others with significant financial assets or holdings in their communities. Collaborative divorce gives the parties the option of keeping all of this information private and confidential.

Assistance from Professionals

Collaborative divorces can also help avoids the creation of an adversarial setting, but instead, require the parties to focus on each other’s interests and goals. This process is helped along by the input of mental health professionals who can help the parties better communicate with each other. For instance, when a couple has children, therapists play a key role in coming up with a detailed parenting plan, but also in teaching co-parenting skills.

Dividing marital assets can be one of the most contentious issues in a Texas divorce, especially when a significant amount of money is at stake. In many cases, couples must resort to litigation and have a judge issue an order directing them as to how their assets should be divided. Litigating a divorce in court can be expensive, time-consuming, and emotionally draining, so it is important for couples to remember that it is possible to avoid litigation completely and reach a fair settlement through mediation. This option allows couples to maintain more control over the terms of their final arrangement, while also saving them time and money. For more information on whether mediation is right for you, please contact one of our Georgetown high asset divorce attorneys at your earliest convenience.

Property Division Settlement

Mediation offers divorcing couples an environment where they can work through divorce-related issues respectfully. These conversations are facilitated by a neutral third party who can help keep the parties on track, remind them of their goals, and ensure that emotion does not derail proceedings. There are other benefits to choosing mediation for a high asset divorce including the following:

Dissolving a marriage does not necessarily have to be contentious. In fact, many couples are able to come to decisions regarding custody, child support, and property division without a judge’s intervention. When this is possible, it can significantly cut down on expenses, save time, and help protect children from the more emotional aspects of divorce. Mediation is one of the best ways to achieve this type of result, so if you and your spouse are both focused on an amicable divorce, please contact a member of our experienced divorce legal team to learn more about your options.

What Does the Mediation Process Involve?

Mediations are one of the most popular methods of negotiating a divorce settlement and involve a meeting between both parties, their respective lawyers, and a neutral third party. This third party, known as a mediator, is tasked with helping couples resolve the following kinds of issues by facilitating discussion and negotiation:

In the midsts of the holidays, not everyone is full of cheer and happiness. Thousands of homes across the country are in the middle of strife and anxiety, more than that associated with entertaining for the holidays. Recent studies show an increase in divorce cases following the holidays. Many psychologists offer possible reasoning for the rise.

Bad Gifts

In most divorces following the gift-giving seasons, the gift actually may be the straw figuratively breaks the camel’s back. Although the gift is not the primary reason for divorcing someone after several years or even decades of marriage, each year the other spouse has renewed hope that this year will be better. When a gift is given that solidifies incompatibility between spouses, many lose the faith of improving conditions. Unless the gift is truly outlandish, the recipient has predetermined based on other factors that unless their spouse “knocks this one out of the park,” the marriage is over.

Most people relocate twelve times during their adult lifetimes, with a majority of these moves prompted by job changes and coming before age 45. Since many people in this age group have young children, modification of existing divorce or family law orders is often necessary. This is especially true in Texas, because of the vast distances between communities, at least in most parts of the state.

Some people put off modifications in these instances, preferring to rely on the "mutual agreement" provision in the Standard Possession Order. Such an agreement does not replace a complex child custody proceeding, but it does make the process somewhat more straightforward.

Custody/Visitation Modification