- You have a mental health neutral guide the parties through the collaborative process. Unlike a litigated divorce, in the Orlando collaborative divorce, a mental health neutral attends all the meetings between the parties and their attorneys. The mental health neutral guides the process in a positive way. The mental health neutral keeps the parties focused on the future and not the past. This enables the parties to be positive and develop a plan that will work for them in resolving the issues involved in their case.
- You have a financial neutral guide you through the collaborative process. Unlike a litigated divorce, a financial neutral determines all your assets and debts from the mandatory disclosure you produce to him/her. He/she guides you toward an equitable distribution of your assets and debts.
- The attorneys have a vested interest to make the collaborative process succeed because they cannot represent you in litigation. Unlike litigation, where the attorneys make more money if you go to trial, that is not true with Orlando collaborative divorce. The attorneys have a vested interest in assisting the parties form a joint resolution. The attorneys may attend a Collaborative mediation with you if you are unable to reach an agreement at the meetings. However, they cannot represent you in litigation and you must get a new attorney for litigation.
- In the collaborative process, you and your spouse craft an agreement that works for you. Unlike litigation where the judge rules on your case, in the collaborative process you and your spouse decide how your case will be resolved. People who decide their own fate are much happier with the outcome than those people where someone else decided their fate.
- The collaborative process is less expensive than costly litigation. The Orlando collaborative divorce process is much more affordable than costly litigation. You do not have the costs of interrogatories, requests to produce, requests for admissions, depositions, temporary hearings and other hearings, mediation and trial. Also, since you set the meetings in the collaborative process, the case is settled more quickly than in a litigated case where you must wait several months to get a court date. The collaborative process is a more private and confidential process. All the details of your divorce are not in the court file. In litigated cases, accusations against the parties are hurled back and forth. Much of that information is in the court file which is public record.