Collaborative Divorce & Mediation in Arizona

Collaborative Divorce In Phoenix & Scottsdale

Experiencing a divorce is never easy. Typically, divorces involve a myriad of legal actions and plenty of attorney involvement, not to mention the fees that come with divorces. Fortunately, a new divorce rule in Arizona (Rule 67.1) is now in place to help parties settle marital disagreements out of court.

While some divorces come with little-to-no disputes, other couples find themselves overwhelmed by litigation and fees.  In other words, a couple seeking divorce wants to come to agreements outside of the courtroom, but generally have different views on various issues involving custody and finances. That’s where collaborative divorce comes in.

On average, collaborative divorces in Phoenix & Scottsdale can be completed two to three times faster than conventional litigation in a court house, and can cost 50% to 75% less than traditionally litigated divorces in court. That means you could be divorced in as little as 60 to 90 days, and you each save thousands of litigation dollars.

Collaborative divorce alleviates disagreements for couples by problem-solving rather than by trying to “win” in a court of law. In other words, couples mediate and mutually negotiate to come to an agreement with the assistance of collaboratively trained professionals. In order for this to work, both parties need to be willing to mutually agree to diverting the case to the collaborative process. Collaborative divorce allows you to save time/money and come to an agreement that works for both parties. Need a collaborative divorce lawyer in Phoenix or Scottsdale? Look no further than Canterbury Law Group.

How The Collaborative Divorce Process Works

• Each person hires an attorney, typically trained in collaborative law.
• You consult your attorney (individually) to explain your goals and what you want.
• The parties and both collaboratively trained lawyers all sign the Collaborative Commitment Agreement (“CCA”), usually at the first “kickoff” session.  All sessions are hosted in either lawyer’s private offices, you never set foot in a court room.
• You and your attorney set up recurring group meetings with your spouse and his/her attorney.
• If needed, third-party representatives will be invited in to help you reach an agreement. This would often include a “financial neutral” or a “communications specialist” or “child specialist” depending on the types of disagreements a couple if facing.
• The group sessions continue.  Usually most cases wrap up by the 3^rd or 4^thsession.  Couples rarely find themselves collaborating in a 5^th or 6^th session.
• Once collaboration complete, your attorneys will file your final legal papers and settlement agreement with the Court. Then, the judge formally signs off and you are divorced. You will have never seen the inside of a court room, nor will the public have access to any of your collaborative details, which remain 100% confidential.

For more information, dozens of videos and commentary about the emerging collaborative divorce process in Arizona, go to www.bestlegalchoices.com.

Collaborative Divorce vs. Traditional Divorce

Learn more about the differences between collaborative divorce vs. traditional divorce below.

Traditional Divorce. Traditional divorce involves a legal process where one spouse brings a lawsuit against the other. Traditional divorce is usually lengthy and painful. High conflict divorce can make it even worse and also makes it impossible for parents to communicate about the future of their children.

Collaborative Divorce. Collaborative divorce is a more humane way to end a marriage. Collaborative divorce happens out of court, in private conferences, and is a more of a mutually crafted agreement between both parties to end the marriage. It is a more comfortable, more affordable, and more equitable form of divorce vs. traditional divorce. Collaboration is far more predictable on final results when compared to the craps table equivalent of “going to court” where somebody will win, and somebody will certainly lose.

Collaborative Divorce Advantages

Collaborative divorce advantages include:

• Much more humane process than traditional divorce;
• Costs significantly less than traditional divorce;
• Greater level of privacy of your personal and financial affairs;
• More flexibility than traditional divorce litigation;
• More control over timing, you conduct your sessions on your time table, not the court’s;
• More support than traditional divorce;
• Far less collateral damage to the children and the future co-parenting relationship;
• Collaboration inevitably reduces post-divorce litigation. [4]

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