As a young, successful individual, you likely have many plans for your life. Of course, roadblocks can crop up, and if you have not planned for these events, you could spend a considerable amount of time and money trying to work through them. Unfortunately, you may have recently decided to end your marriage and now worry that you will face drawn out court proceedings when you would rather just move forward with your life.
On the bright side, your case does not necessarily have to go to court. If you and your soon-to-be ex can work amicably together, you could potentially utilize alternative dispute resolution, or ADR, methods for dealing with the dissolution of your marriage.
Alternative dispute resolution
Because so many public divorce cases revolve around conflict, litigation and drawn out court battles, many individuals understandably think that all divorces turn out this way. However, ADR can help you go through a much less conflict-oriented process. Because various ADR methods exist, you can choose the option that works best for your circumstances, such as:
- Mediation – Mediation involves you and your spouse working with a professionally trained mediator to come to settlement terms together. The process allows the two of you to negotiate and come to agreeable compromises. The mediator helps to keep the process on track so that your proceedings can come to a timely end.
- Collaborative law – If you wish to look for another low-conflict option, collaborative law also offers such benefits. With this method, you both enter into proceedings with the intention of using a fair and honest approach to address divorce topics. You both bring legal counsel to arranged meetings to discuss resolutions for the issues faced.
Is ADR right for you?
In order for ADR methods to prove successful, both parties must show a willingness to work together and refrain from creating unnecessary conflict. Therefore, if you and your spouse both feel heated over a certain divorce issue, such as property division or child custody, and you know a high likelihood for conflict exists, ADR may not work in your favor. However, if you and your spouse want to move forward as quickly and amicably as possible, you both might have the right mindset to allow ADR to benefit you.
Legal assistance
Though you may want to avoid court and litigation, gaining assistance from an experienced Virginia attorney could still be wise. Your attorney can help you during ADR proceedings by understanding your goals and guiding you through the proceedings in efforts to achieve the results you want and need quickly.
