How Do Participation Agreements Work in Collaborative Divorce?
“Collaborative divorce.” It definitely sounds pleasant. In general, collaborating is a good thing. Working together tends to bring better results than fighting it out or going it alone. But when the time comes to actually engage in a collaborative divorce, what can the parties expect? What steps should they be prepared for? The answers will depend on the terms of the divorce participation agreement.
A divorce participation agreement is entered into by both parties in a collaborative divorce before the process even begins. It lays out all the terms of the collaborative divorce process, including spelling out what issues are disputed and what issues will be addressed via the collaborative divorce process. These issues may include child custody, child support, spousal maintenance, division of property, or even attorney’s fees.
The agreement will also lay out the communication protocols, which are the ground rules that keep the process amicable and solutions-oriented. Ultimately, if the parties cannot settle in the collaborative divorce process, the parties agree that they would have to hire separate counsel to litigate their case. This gives collaborative divorce lawyers every incentive to work diligently to settle their cases outside of court.
Multi-State Collaborative Divorce Attorneys in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska
If you are interested in starting the collaborative divorce process, contact us online or call any one of our convenient Stange Law Firm, PC locations throughout the region. We have locations in St. Louis, Chicago, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, Wichita, Topeka, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Omaha, Lincoln, or nearby.
