Tampa Collaborative Divorce Attorney
There are many different ways to avoid acrimony and contentiousness in your divorce case, and collaborative divorce is a helpful option for many people. The collaborative divorce law process was formalized in Florida relatively recently, and it allows spouses to resolve issues in their divorce collaboratively and to dissolve their marriage without the kinds of aggression or combativeness that can arise in more traditional divorce proceedings. If you have questions about how the collaborative law process works in Florida, or if you want to consider collaborative law for your divorce, you should get in touch with a lawyer who can provide you with more information. Contact our experienced Tampa collaborative divorce attorney today to learn more about collaborative law and its benefits.
What is Collaborative Divorce in Tampa?
The Collaborative Law Process Act sets the terms for a collaborative divorce in Florida. According to the Florida Statutes, the Act is designed to reduce tensions in the divorce process and to provide a method through which spouses can work together calmly to reach an agreement about the dissolution of their marriage. The statute states:
“It is the policy of this state to encourage the peaceful resolution of disputes and the early resolution of pending litigation through a voluntary settlement process. The collaborative law process is a unique nonadversarial process that preserves a working relationship between the parties and reduces the emotional and financial toll of litigation.”
How Collaborative Law Works in Tampa
To be clear, a collaborative divorce is nonadversarial, which means that the spouses do not present their cases to a judge who rules on matters pertaining to property division, child custody, and child support. Instead, with assistance from their collaborative divorce lawyers, the spouses work together to reach an agreement. The Act clarifies that the collaborative law process is “a process intended to resolve a collaborative matter without intervention by a tribunal and in which persons sign a collaborative law participation agreement and are represented by collaborative attorneys.”
The following issues can be resolved through a collaborative process according to the Act:
- Marriage, divorce, dissolution, annulment, and marital property distribution;
- Child custody, visitation, parenting plan, and parenting time;
- Alimony, maintenance, and child support;
- Parental relocation with a child;
- Parentage and paternity;
- Premarital, marital, and postmarital agreements.
While the collaborative divorce process is distinct from forms of alternative dispute resolution like mediation, a collaborative divorce is more similar to a divorce resolved through mediation than to a divorce that involves litigation.
Reasons to Choose Tampa Collaborative Divorce
Why should you choose collaborative divorce? There are many benefits, such as:
- Lower cost than divorce litigation;
- Less time than a traditional divorce;
- Less conflict since collaborative divorce focuses on working together to reach an agreement;
- Parents become better communicators with one another, which can benefit their co-parenting relationship after the divorce; and
- More flexibility and control, allowing the spouses to play important roles in the outcome.
Contact The Law Office of Laura A. Olson, P.A. Today
Do you want to learn more about collaborative divorce or get started on a collaborative divorce case in Florida? Contact our experienced Tampa collaborative divorce attorney today for help with your collaborative divorce.
