Collaborative Divorce Lawyers & Attorneys in South Bay

Collaborative Divorce Lawyers Specialized in the Art of Negotiation

The South Bay, Washington collaborative divorce lawyers at Truce Law can help you settle your divorce without having to go to court. We specialize in helping couples reach a divorce agreement at the negotiating table rather than in the courtroom. Most divorce agreements are eventually settled outside of court, but many divorcing couples prepare for court, costing thousands more. By choosing the collaborative process from the start, you and your former partner can save thousands, save time, and file for divorce without the need to appear in court.

Truce Law is a South Bay, Washington collaborative divorce law firm that specializes in the art of negotiation. We work to settle your divorce fairly, swiftly, and peacefully. If you are looking to peacefully reach a divorce settlement, or don’t want to fight your divorce in court, the South Bay, Washington collaborative divorce lawyers at Truce Law are here to help. We can even file your divorce paperwork electronically or through mail, eliminating the need for a court appearance altogether.

Justin W. Aanenson, Attorney

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What’s the Difference Between Collaborative Divorce and a Contested Divorce in South Bay, Washington?

Many aspects of the collaborative divorce process aren’t that different from “traditional,” or contested divorce. Like in a contested divorce, both you and your former partner will each be represented by your own divorce lawyer in a collaborative divorce, and you will need to reach a divorce settlement and create a parenting plan, if you have children. Paperwork will still be filed in court, but the big difference between a collaborative divorce and a contested divorce is that with collaborative divorce both parties agree to finalize their divorce agreement at the negotiation table rather than through court. So, when both parties have differences about how to divide assets, property, debts, or differences about the parenting plan, they agree to negotiate these differences outside of court, rather than taking these matters to a judge. Before you begin the process, you and your spouse will sign a “collaborative participation agreement” in which you agree to settle any disagreements about division of property, assets, debts, or child custody outside of court.

By agreeing to settle your divorce at the negotiating table rather than through litigation, you can save money in court fees and save time consumed in lengthy court battles. Both you and your former partner won’t be leaving crucial decisions about your divorce for a judge to decide. When it comes to major decisions like child custody or who gets the family home, the best people in the best position to make those decisions are you and your former spouse, not a judge. Best of all, your divorce paperwork can be filed by mail or electronically, meaning you and your former partner never even have to step foot inside a courtroom.

The collaborative divorce lawyers in South Bay, Washington at Truce Law pride ourselves on creating an environment where you, your former spouse, and your divorce team (which can include lawyers, therapists, parenting coaches, marriage counselors and more) will work together to craft a divorce agreement that is fair for all parties involved. We can save you thousands and save you the stress of going to court.

Risks of Contested Divorce in South Bay, Washington

If you take your divorce to court or choose the path of contested divorce in South Bay, Washington, you run the risk that a judge will make decisions about your finances, your parenting plan, and your future that neither you nor your former partner want. You also run the risk that the judge will order mediation, meaning you’ll still end up settling your divorce at the negotiating table. After all, most judges don’t like being put in the position of making financial decisions or parenting decisions if they believe the couple can resolve these differences outside of court.

When it comes to your parenting plan, for example, you and your former spouse will need to make decisions about where your children will live, how visitation will be worked out, and how major decisions for your children will be made. Decisions about how holidays will be spent and transportation between both homes will also need to be arranged. When parents take their disagreements to a judge, a judge will use the “best interests of the child” standards to make decisions. The problem with these standards is that they are quite vague and open to interpretation. Under Washington law, the best interest of the child is defined as a parenting arrangement that furthers a child’s emotional growth, health, stability, and supports the physical care of the child. The goal is to preserve a relationship between the child and both parents unless a relationship with one parent threatens the child’s mental, physical, or emotional health. While a judge can try to determine what kind of parenting arrangement will be best further a child’s emotional growth, health, and stability, parents know their children best, and know what arrangement will be best for their children.

Research indicates that children do better when their parents agree about how to co-parent, and even judges agree that parents are the best people in the best position to decide about custody and parenting plans. By choosing the collaborative divorce process in South Bay, Washington, you and your former spouse will make decisions about child custody, not a judge. If you disagree about certain aspects of the parenting plan, your South Bay, Washington collaborative divorce lawyer at Truce Law can bring counselors, parenting coaches, and any other experts to the negotiation table to help you make the best possible decisions for your children.

A big risk of taking a divorce dispute to court is that a judge will order mediation. This means that both you and your former partner will need to sit with a professional mediator, who will help you, your former partner, and your divorce lawyers reach a settlement. You might end up at the negotiating table, anyway. So, rather than wait for a judge to send you and your former partner to the negotiating table, plan a more proactive divorce. Speak to the South Bay, Washington collaborative divorce lawyers at Truce Law today.

Benefits of Choosing Collaborative Divorce in South Bay, Washington

Divorce negotiation, not litigation is the answer. There are three main benefits to choosing a collaborative divorce in South Bay, Washington: it can save you money, it can save you time, and it can protect your privacy. Let’s explore each of these.

Privacy. Anything you do or say in court can end up on the public record. We’re all only human and emotions can get heated when the time comes to iron out the details of your divorce agreement. By choosing the collaborative divorce process, anything you do or say remains private and gets left at the negotiating table, not on the public record. If things get heated, your collaborative divorce lawyer can call for a brief time-out, giving space and time for everyone to cool down. If you take your case to court, everything is in the hands of the judge, and everything in your private life can be subject to public consumption.
Save Money. Litigation costs money. Not only will you pay more in legal fees, but you may end up being ordered to undergo mediation, meaning that you’ll not only have to pay for your lawyer, but also for a mediator. If you choose an out of court divorce process and resolve your differences through collaborative divorce, you can save yourself added costs.
Save Time. If you need to take your case before a judge, you’ll need to wait for a court date, and then go through the trial. If you choose the collaborative divorce process in South Bay, Washington, you and your former partner can set the timeline. You set the times and places to collaborate and negotiate, and when you have your divorce agreement hammered out, your divorce lawyers can file the paperwork with the courts to finalize your divorce.

These are just some of the major benefits of choosing the collaborative divorce process rather than contested divorce. Other benefits are less tangible or easy to quantify. They include peace of mind, less stress, and the possibility that you and your former spouse will achieve greater understanding of each other and leave the negotiating table, if not friends, then as strong co-parents, or as two people who care about one another, but who are ready to move on to the next chapter of your lives.

A collaborative divorce lawyer in South Bay, Washington at Truce Law is here to help you. We’ll take the time to understand your circumstances, your concerns, and guide you on the next steps you can take to get divorced. We are here to help you every step of the way.

Contact a South Bay, Washington Collaborative Divorce Lawyer Today

Divorce can be one of the most difficult decisions you have ever had to make, but divorce is just as much a legal process as it is a breakup. Divorce can affect everything from your parenting to your finances. If you want to resolve your divorce peacefully, Truce Law is a South Bay, Washington collaborative divorce law firm that can help you with the process. Our collaborative divorce lawyers can help you understand your rights, match you with experts every step along the way, and work closely with you and your former spouse to reach a child custody agreement that’s in the best interest of your children, and a divorce agreement that’s fair and right for you.