Minnesota Collaborative Divorce Attorneys & Lawyers

Nature of Collaborative Cases

Divorcing couples often look for ways to avoid resolving their case without going to court. Collaborative law is designed with these couples in mind. While each party retains a lawyer to represent them, all agree that good faith efforts will be made to reach a settlement without filing a court case.

The Process

Agreements are often reached through four-way meetings among parties and lawyers. Every issue in the divorce is discussed in these sessions. At the onset of a collaborative divorce, the parties, and both lawyers, agree to exchange complete financial information with each other, maintain confidentiality, reach an agreement and utilize the agreement in drafting a proposed court order for the judge to sign. If no agreement is reached during the process, neither collaborative lawyer may represent the parties in court. The "threat of trial" is eliminated.

The Benefits

There are many benefits to handling a case in a collaborative manner. Children are shielded from the harm of litigation. Each of the parties "owns" the agreement, rather than being told what to do. The process is a positive one, which facilitates respectful ongoing communication among parents. Of critical importance, the collaborative process is much less expensive and time-consuming than traditional litigation.