Preserving Relationships With Collaborative Divorce

 

Collaborative Divorce Illinois

 

The process of Collaborative Divorce gives couples the ability to divorce in a way that preserves their relationships with children, extended family and friends.  Collaborative Divorce avoids the courtroom in favor of an approach which brings a team of professionals together to help restructure a relationship in an environment that fosters a cooperation and problem solving.

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Collaborative Divorce Maximizes Your Family's Privacy

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Court proceedings like hearings and trials are open to the public, meaning anyone can visit a courtroom and observe the proceedings.  When it comes to families, children, financial matters, business interests, etc. it is in your best interests to keep those personal details private.  Court filings are also public and with the rise in internet accessibility and electronic storage of documents, public access to the private details of you, your family and your business is readily available to those with a smartphone.

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Protecting your family's privacy is one of the most important advantages of Collaborative Divorce. Minimal paperwork is filed with the court, and the papers that are filed generally do not contain the detailed facts specific to the people involved in the case.  The only time anyone appears in court in a Collaborative Divorce case is to present the Marital Settlement Agreement and Parenting Plan for the  judge’s approval and signature.  This process takes about ten minutes.

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Collaborative Divorce vs. Mediation

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Mediation involves a neutral (not always a lawyer) who helps the parties come to an agreement on the various aspects of his/her divorce.  The Collaborative Process involves lawyers from the onset, building a team of professionals to approach the divorce settlement.  The singular focus of all of the professionals is to come toward a mutually beneficial solution without the need for contested litigation.

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We are your advocates every step of the way.

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Maintain Control of Your Future

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Most people do not start out wanting to go to Court for their divorce. However, many people do not realize that if you do not officially handle your divorce as a Collaborative Divorce, you are in the litigation process, which may eventually result in a settlement, but in the meantime, it can also include hearings in court, discovery in the form of written questions sent back and forth between the parties (their attorneys), depositions, mediation, and trial. If your case ends up going to a hearing or trial, a judge, who has probably never met your family and may never see your again, will hear all the details of your case in court and will have control of the outcome of all the issues in your case.  The problem is, unless you are officially in a Collaborative Divorce, you lose control of how your case is handled, and it can often become very litigious without you or your spouse meaning for it to. In a Collaborative Divorce, the only appearance in court is a very short and discrete presentation of the Agreed Decree of Divorce to the judge for his or her signature. A Collaborative Divorce–the best out of court solution–is handled privately, in the offices of the clients’ attorneys, with the clients, who know the most about their case and their children, having the ultimate decision-making power, input and control over their family’s future.

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Work with Ciesla Beeler on your Collaborative Divorce

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At Ciesla Beeler, Jennifer Cunningham Beeler is specially trained and is a fellow of the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois.  Jennifer has the training and experience to help you with your Collaborative Divorce.  Our attorneys are recognized throughout Illinois and are ready to meet with you to assess your case and provide sound legal strategies to address your situation.  Contact us today via email info@cieslabeeler.com or call 847.868.1860 for your free consultation.

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