Sometimes people stay in bad marriages because they do not want to go through a long and expensive divorce process. While it is true that some divorces can cost both spouses a lot of money and take months or even years to finalize, that does not always have to be the case.
Traditionally, getting divorced meant going to court and arguing over most or all issues related to your divorce. Many of these issues involve property division, such as who gets the house or how retirement accounts are split. Other issues could include spousal support, alimony or child custody.
Times have changed. The collaborative law process is what many New Jersey couples now choose to use when divorcing. This is a non-adversarial process that involves you and your spouse working together with the help of attorneys to resolve divorce issues on your own.
Why choose collaborative law
There are many benefits to using the collaborative law process in your divorce. It is usually quicker and cheaper than courtroom litigation and you are more likely to be happy with the outcome.
Even if you do not ultimately get everything you want, knowing the resolution was the result of a discussion that you provided input into may make you much happier than a decision that was ordered by a judge.
Resolving financial or custody issues might require advice from professionals, such as certified financial planners or licensed counselors. Their advice and guidance can help you and your spouse make the best decisions.
The timing behind the process
The idea behind collaborative divorce is to have these issues agreed upon before filing for divorce. New Jersey does not have a waiting period once a divorce is filed.
This means that once you file for divorce, a court can finalize it and grant your divorce once all necessary documents are completed and signed. Your agreement from the collaborative divorce process then goes into effect.