For the majority of American families, including those in California, the idea of going to court can be a somewhat frightening. Courts, however, are the final stop for couples going through divorce. For these couples, the question they must answer is, how will we get to court — by litigation or by collaboration? When given time to think about it, most couples would prefer to avoid the stress of traditional litigation, particularly if they have minor children. This is where collaborative law can be so useful. It allows a couple to resolve almost every issue and only enter a courtroom to get a final decree.
Collaborative divorce is similar to mediation in several ways. As a negotiation, collaborative law allows spouses to meet a mediation attorney to work out an amicable solution to their divorce issues, with each spouse represented by the person’s own attorney. Because discussions in the sessions are confidential, this makes the meetings safe and private.
The principal drawback to divorce mediation is that if it fails, a couple’s case then goes to traditional court litigation and the attorneys involved during collaborative discussions cannot represent their clients in court. This motivates both attorneys to resolve the divorce rather than have it enter the court. Only an experienced attorney, such as John T. Chamberlin, can handle collaborative divorce cases with the efficiency and discretion this requires. He has decades of practice working with clients on a variety of issues related to separation, divorce and domestic partner dissolution.
John T. Chamberlin also negotiates with experts to assess the financial implications of divorce on each client, especially asset division, as well as matters related to child custody. Only an experienced attorney can provide legal counsel through the entire collaborative divorce process, ensuring that an equitable solution is the only outcome.
