When you are deciding how to get a divorce in Kansas City, it may feel as though you are limited to options that are adversarial, extremely costly, and traumatic for your family. It doesn’t have to be that way. Collaborative Practice Kansas City, with offices serving the entire Kansas City area, is here to help.
Divorce process options include contested or litigated divorce, collaborative divorce, divorce mediation, and do-it-yourself divorce. Each of the options for how to get a divorce in Kansas City is unique, each has pros and cons, and not every option is appropriate for everyone.
Contested Divorce
A contested divorce through litigation is the traditional process of bargaining from specific and often conflicting positions, backed by the intervention of an impersonal court of law.
A contested divorce is best for situations such as abuse within the marriage or a level of distrust that doesn’t allow for full and fair disclosure of information. Many people are dissatisfied with their litigated outcome, however, which can lead to further disputes and additional time in court.
Collaborative Divorce
A collaborative divorce is how to get a divorce in Kansas City and have a team of professionals working with you to help you and your spouse and family transition. The collaborative process often results in greater satisfaction for divorcing couples, and healthier outcomes for children, so you are less likely to go back to court in the future. Collaborative divorce only works with full, mutual disclosure by both parties, and parties committed to working toward a fair and equitable agreement.
Divorce Mediation
In divorce mediation, you and your spouse use a neutral third party to assist you in reaching agreements that meet the needs of you and your children without the financial and emotional cost of a court battle. Mediation can be less expensive than most other options and avoids the stressful process of litigation. If you use mediation without attorneys, you both are responsible for preparing all the required forms for the court for the divorce to be legal and binding.
DIY Divorce
In a do-it-yourself, or “pro se”, divorce, you and your spouse represent yourselves before the court and do not hire attorneys. DIY is usually the most inexpensive of the divorce process options and generally works well when you both agree on practically everything and your issues are very simple, such as in cases with little property and no children. You must either work out an agreement together or present your legal disputes to an impersonal court, following proper judicial procedure.
How To Get A Divorce In Kansas City
Collaborative Practice Kansas City, LLC is a greater Kansas City community of independent legal, mental health, and financial professionals working in concert to create client-centered processes that assist individuals and families transition through divorce. If you have questions about how to get a divorce in Kansas City, click here or call Collaborative Practice Kansas City at 913-380-2560.
