If you are thinking about ending your marriage, you may have already started researching the ways you can resolve divorce issues such as child custody, property division, and spousal maintenance. You may know for sure that you want to avoid divorce litigation, but you may still be uncertain as to what type of alternative resolution method is right for your particular circumstances. Collaborative divorce is a process during which divorcing spouses work with their attorneys to reach a settlement on unresolved divorce issues using cooperative discussions and negotiations. This process takes place outside of the courtroom and is typically much less stressful and antagonistic than litigation. There are several situations in which using collaborative law to resolve divorce issues can be especially beneficial.

Circumstances in Which Collaborative Divorce May Be Advantageous

When determining what type of divorce strategy to pursue, begin by taking stock of your divorce-related goals. Also consider the particular obstacles, challenges, or special circumstances that may complicate your divorce. Collaborative law may be a good fit for you if:

1. You want legal support and protection from an attorney but do not wish to go to trial. If you or your spouse own complex assets, have a high income, own a business, or have other complicated financial issues, quality legal representation during divorce is crucial. A divorce lawyer is also a valuable resource during child-related disputes.

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When most people hear the term “restraining order,” they assume that the order prevents physical abuse or stalking. However, this is not the only type of restraining order that may be necessary in an Illinois divorce. A temporary financial restraining order is one that protects a divorcing spouse’s financial assets from being misused, wasted, or hidden by the other spouse. In some states, an automatic financial restraining order is issued when spouses begin the divorce process. However, if you plan to divorce in Illinois, you will need to petition the court in order to gain protection through a financial restraining order.

Prohibiting Spouses From Certain Financial Activity During Divorce

Financial restraining orders are commonly utilized in high asset divorce cases, but spouses of any income level can benefit from this type of protection. A temporary financial restraining order may be used to prevent divorcing spouses from:

• Closing bank accounts

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With so many Illinois residents out of work or working from home due to the pandemic — and no real end in the immediate future — many couples are delaying divorce plans simply because of the expense. While it is true that the legal fees involved in a divorce can add up to thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars once the divorce is finalized, this should not be prohibitive to either of you, especially if you both know a divorce will help you and your family during this time of reduced/lost incomes and staying at home together more often than usual.

Collaborative Law as a Potential Cost-Saver

There are plenty of ways to make a divorce more affordable, including pursuing an uncontested divorce or determining whether the court may require the wealthier spouse to cover the other spouse’s attorney’s fees in a more fiercely litigated contested divorce or an otherwise complex divorce. In many cases, collaborative divorce can be more affordable than a divorce that involves litigation.

In a collaborative divorce, both spouses and their attorneys agree to cooperatively negotiate a divorce settlement without resorting to litigation, while also making the commitment to be open and honest with each other at all times. Collaborative divorces allow both parties to work together outside of court through this increasingly popular alternative dispute resolution (ADR) method to reach a more agreeable resolution to the issues in their divorce. In addition to securing the terms of a divorce decree that benefits both sides fairly and equitably, collaborative divorce can also foster and maintain civility throughout the divorce process, helping spouses ensure that they can have a more amicable divorce.

You might think being able to use science to determine paternity with absolute certainty through DNA testing would make family law cases much easier, especially when it comes to defining child custody, child support, and parenting time. However, the truth is that it can actually complicate things even more than intended. Here is how introducing DNA testing into the legal process has changed paternity, fatherhood, and father's rights:

Why Paternity Is So Complex, Especially Now With DNA Testing

Paternity has always been a complex issue, but before DNA testing, according to the law, it was relatively simple: if you were married, and your wife had a baby, you were considered the father. However, as many people know—and even knew then—it is rarely that simple in actuality. Now that medical technology has caught up with the dilemmas surrounding paternity, DNA testing has provided the courts with an exact, indisputable science to determine the identity of a child’s father.

You might think this has made things easier, but it has actually caused great cognitive dissonance for many fathers. A father may spend years thinking a child was his and raising that child as his own, only to discover during the divorce process that he is not the child’s biological father. He would not want to disrespect and lose that beautiful relationship with his son or daughter just because he did not want to be responsible for child support payments. At the same time, he may feel a sense of resentment when paying support for a child that was not even his. What is a father to do?

Over the course of a marriage, couples can accumulate a large amount of marital assets and debts, including homes, cars, savings accounts, businesses, investments, mortgages, and more. If you decide to get a divorce, the prospect of dividing property between you and your spouse may be one of the most daunting parts of the process. However, in many cases, division of property does not have to be an ugly fight. If you and your spouse are willing to communicate and cooperate, you may be able to reach an agreement that works for both of you through divorce mediation.

What Is Divorce Mediation?

Mediation allows divorcing couples to make collaborative decisions about the terms of their divorce agreement, including not only property division, but also child support, spousal support, and parenting time and responsibilities. A neutral, third-party mediator guides the discussion to promote constructive conversations and efficient resolutions, but you and your spouse maintain control over the outcome. Mediation may only be possible if you and your spouse are both interested in cooperative solutions, but when that is the case, mediation can save you the time, money, stress, and lack of privacy that you would face in a trial.

Benefits of Mediation for Division of Assets

When it comes to the distribution of property, mediation makes it possible for you and your spouse to decide upon the assets that are most important to each of you, instead of being bound by the rulings of a judge. For example, if one of you wants to keep your marital home, you may be able to negotiate for one of you to purchase the other’s share of the property. If there are other possessions that each of you holds dear, you can ensure that you maintain those possessions after your divorce. If you have significant assets in retirement accounts, you can discuss a plan to distribute them without facing early withdrawal penalties or excessive taxes. If there is a disparity in income or earning potential between you and your spouse, you can negotiate for spousal support payments to allow for a more equitable distribution.