Collaborative divorce can be an extremely popular option for couples who want a divorce, but want to do it amicably. Collaborative divorce avoids airing your private affairs in public and creates a culture of respect rather than conflict. Spouses work together with trained professionals to reach a settlement. Knowing what to expect can help you feel confident about how things will move forward.
At Kulerski & Cornelison, our team serves families DuPage and Cook counties. We help couples through collaborative divorce to achieve their end results in a respectful and collaborative manner.
The Purpose of a Collaborative Divorce Session
What is a collaborative divorce? This is a structured meeting where you both sit down with trained attorneys. They help you work through the issues you need to resolve to amicably resolve your divorce. These sessions are meant to be:
- Transparent
- Solution-focused
- Non-adversarial
Everyone signs a Participation agreement that promises to be open and honest. It also states the shared goal of reaching a resolution outside of court.
Who Attends the Sessions?
Most sessions include:
- Both spouses
- Each spouse’s collaboratively trained attorney
Depending on the complexity of the case, the team may also include neutral professionals such as:
- A neutral financial professional like an accountant
- A child specialist
- A divorce coach or mental-health neutral party
These professionals do not advocate for either spouse. Instead, they help both parties resolve any conflicts.
What Happens at the First Collaborative Session?
The first session helps to establish the pattern for the rest of the sessions. It typically includes:
- Reviewing and signing the Participation Agreement
- Establishing how the parties will communicate
- Identifying the issues that need to be resolved
- Setting priorities
- Establish goals
- Outlining the roadmap for future sessions
Information Gathering and Voluntary Disclosure
One of the most important things about collaborative divorce is the transparency. Instead of using formal discovery and document exchange, both parties agree to share everything as an open book.
During sessions, the team may:
- Review financial statements
- Discuss income, expenses, assets, and debts
- Identify areas where additional documentation is needed
- Work with the financial neutral to clarify complex issues
Issue-Focused Discussions
Once you have set the stage for the discussions, you’ll focus in on the core issues. These may include:
- Parenting time
- Parental responsibilities
- Child support and shared expenses
- Spousal maintenance
- Property division
- Allocation of debts
- Long-term financial planning
The attorneys guide the conversation, but the spouses get to decide on everything.
Use of Neutral Professionals
Neutral professionals play a significant role in many collaborative sessions. For example:
- A neutral financial professional may run projections, analyze tax implications, or help create budgets.
- A child specialist may help parents develop a parenting plan that supports their children’s developmental needs.
- A divorce coach may help manage communication challenges or emotional roadblocks.
Why Collaborative Sessions Work
Collaborative divorce sessions succeed because they:
- Reduce conflict and promote respectful communication
- Keep decision-making in the hands of the spouses
- Protect children from unnecessary stress
- Encourage creative, customized solutions
- Maintain privacy
- Enhance confidentiality
- Often cost less and move faster than litigation
Collaborative divorce can be a lot healthier than a divorce trial. It lets you work together to resolve your differences rather than battling it out in court. This is especially important if you still have young children, as you will be co-parents for many years to come and need to cooperate.
Work Through Collaborative Divorce with an Experienced Illinois Family Law Attorney
Knowing what to expect with a collaborative divorce can make you feel much more comfortable and confident about the whole process. Speak with us to learn if this option is right for you.
At Kulerski & Cornelison, our family law attorneys are ready to help. Contact us today for a consultation of your case.