What You Should Know About Collaborative Divorce
In a Collaborative Divorce, the couple’s or family’s needs are kept at the forefront of all proceedings. With an experienced team behind you, like Hugh F. O’Donnell Family Law in Kansas City, you can rest assured that your divorce proceedings will be handled privately and professionally.
How Does Collaborative Divorce Work?
To begin with, each spouse is assigned an attorney to help the parties reach an agreement rather than engage in an adversarial process. Each spouse retains an attorney and enters into an agreement to resolve all the divorce issues, including but not limited to child custody, child support, spousal support, and property division questions, outside of the courtroom. Sometimes, a mental health professional or a financial planner is brought in to reduce the costs and address the parties’ needs.
Why Should I Choose Collaborative Divorce?
Collaborative Divorce ensures that “no stone goes unturned” to ensure long-term resolutions in all areas, including:
- Finances
- Review of accounts and financial assets
- Life Insurance policies
- Credit Repairs
- Emotions
- Assess the need for therapists or child psychologists
- Creating a parenting plan
- Physical Needs
- Real estate – sale or division of value
- Career Placement services
- Healthcare and insurance planning
Keeping decision-making power in your hands can give people a degree of control over their lives when things seem out of control. This is especially important when children are involved and may be old enough to have an opinion about how they would like things to be “after the divorce.” Further, the collaborative process is especially well-suited to divorces with children as it helps parents begin to work together. This can be incredibly important to a child’s well-being because, while parents may no longer be spouses to each other, they will always be parents to their children. Please note that Collaborative Divorce is equally valuable to couples who don’t have children or whose children are grown.
Divorce With Respect Week
Through Hugh O’Donnell’s efforts, Quinton D. Lucas, Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, proclaimed March 4 – 8, 2024, as Divorce With Respect Week in Kansas City, Missouri. By this Proclamation, the Mayor recognized that the non-adversarial Collaborative Divorce Process is superior to a traditional litigated divorce. The Proclamation acknowledges that the Collaborative Divorce Process was nominated for the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for transforming the way couples and families resolve conflict.
Attorney Hugh O’Donnell has more than 40 years of experience in family law. He was instrumental in bringing Collaborative Divorce to Missouri over 20 years ago and participating in the annual Divorce With Respect Week™ Initiative held recently from March 4-8, 2024. He has led numerous training courses on the Collaborative Process and Divorce Mediation to other attorneys, judges, and mediators and is committed to the outcomes of his clients. Contact his office at 816-561-9355 or Click Here to learn more.