Contested divorce in Kansas City is the traditional divorce process, also known as litigation divorce. It is often mired with fear, hurt feelings, and anger that make an agreeable resolution difficult, if not impossible. Both parties communicate almost exclusively through attorneys and bargain from specific and often conflicting positions, backed by threats of “We’ll just leave it up to the judge!”. It is a stressful process that typically breeds and reinforces feelings of anxiety, insecurity, and animosity.
There is a better way than a contested divorce in Kansas City.
Luckily, a contested divorce is not the only option. A growing number of parting couples, along with other professionals such as lawyers, mental health professionals, and financial specialists, have been seeking a more constructive option. These professionals have developed the Collaborative Divorce model.
Collaborative divorce is an alternative process that removes the element of litigation and settles cases respectfully, transparently, and privately. Unlike a contested divorce, the Collaborative Practice dispute-resolution process is based on a pledge in which you, your spouse, and your attorneys contractually agree to negotiate a mutually acceptable settlement without the necessity of allowing a court/judge to decide the most important issues in your life. Your contractual commitments also include creating shared solutions acknowledging the highest priorities of all and maintaining open communication and information sharing.
The collaborative process has many benefits.
The collaborative process also has the advantage of much more predictable and often lower costs than a contested divorce in Kansas City. Both spouses still have their own attorneys working on their behalf, but collaborative divorce involves a team of collaboratively trained attorneys, financial advisors, and divorce coaches from the beginning. This condenses expenses, rather than each party hiring individual professionals and experts as needed often doubling the cost.
Divorce is a very emotional event. Sometimes those emotions show up in the process and that is completely natural. Your collaborative divorce team can help spouses manage those emotions and keep the meeting discussions respectful. When respect is given and received, discussions are likely to be more productive and an agreement reached more easily, limiting cost in terms of stress and time in addition to money.
Experienced collaborative professionals are key.
Research shows that one of the best predictors of a positive collaborative divorce process and outcome is the selection by divorcing spouses of collaborative professionals who respect each other, who have successful track records of settling cases together, and who work together effectively and efficiently to assist both parties in reaching creative, respectful and thoughtful solutions. Each member of the Collaborative Practice Kansas City group meets the standards for practice excellence as set by the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP).
To learn more about the collaborative alternative to contested divorce in Kansas City, contact a Collaborative Practice team member at 913-380-2560 or click here.
