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What Does a Collaborative Divorce Entail?

You have decided that you want to do your divorce through the Collaborative Process. You have heard that you and your spouse will each have your own collaborative attorney and that there will be a financial neutral and a mental health neutral. However, you’re still wondering, what happens when you have those individuals lined up for the process and in place? 

Once you have everyone you need to start the Collaborative Process, you enter into a Collaborative Participation Agreement and a Collaborative Communication Agreement.  Next, you are given a Collaborative Road Map and Collaborative Tips. 

Preparation Stage

Then, the process will begin. First, the professionals (the two attorneys, mental health neutral, and financial neutral) will have a telephone conference on the case. They will discuss issues that pertain to your case and what will be discussed at the first collaborative meeting. They will also come up with the agenda for the first collaborative meeting. 

During this time, the financial neutral will send a link for you and your spouse to upload the financial documents necessary to do your Collaborative Divorce. After all the documents are uploaded, the financial neutral will prepare an equitable distribution chart. Prior to the first meeting, each participant will meet with the financial neutral to discuss the financials. This may be with or without your attorney present. 

Collaborative Meetings

The mental health neutral will send out the collaborative agenda. At the first meeting, you may sign the collaborative documents if that was not already done prior to the meeting. At the first meeting, the collaborative process will be discussed. You will then begin discussing the items on the agenda. 

Depending on what is on the agenda, you may begin discussing each participant’s goals in the case. You may also review the equitable distribution chart that the financial neutral has prepared. Usually you will discuss any pressing matters that are of concern to the participants. Each case is different. However, the above mentioned discussions usually take place. 

Parenting Plan Discussions

If there are children involved, you may discuss a parenting plan and how that will be handled. The participants may have met with the mental health neutral prior to the first TEAM Meeting. At the first TEAM meeting it is usually discussed how the participants will pay for the collaborative process if that was not worked out prior to the first TEAM Meeting. This is just a brief general overview of the details of the collaborative divorce process. 

If you have more questions regarding a Marital and Family Law matter, you may call Ann Marie Giordano Gilden at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P.A. at 407-732-7620 and set an initial consultation.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not form an attorney client privilege.