Divorce ends an old and begins a new chapter of life. It is often a challenging transition that should be handled with care. Working with attorneys and professionals, clients can resolve divorce matters in a civil manner and with concern for sensitive and difficult life situations. That’s what we at Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices seek to do in the collaborative divorce process. What is the … [Read more...]
Two Approaches To Divorce In Texas
In most cases, a divorce in Texas actually consists of two family law issues that are consolidated into a single case. Assuming that there are children and property, the first and most important issue that's addressed involves the best interests of the children of the parties to the divorce. Don't Delay After Service In nearly all cases, the petitioner must serve the respondent with a … [Read more...]
The right lawyer for a collaborative law approach
A previous post on this blog talked about how a person who wants to participate in the collaborative law approach to resolve a family law issue can still have his or her own attorney and is in fact encouraged to do so. Even though the approach in collaborative law cases is different-going to court is, during the process, is off the table-- an attorney still plays an important role and has an … [Read more...]
May I still have an attorney in a collaborative law case?
One hesitation a Dallas resident might have about using "collaborative law" to settle either a child custody or other family law matter is that they may think no one will be on their side of the negotiation table since everyone is, theoretically, working together to talk through issues. While this may sound really nice in theory, a Texan may worry that, in practice, it could mean his or her own … [Read more...]
How does the collaborative divorce process work?
The collaborative law divorce process is a beneficial process for divorcing couples to consider. Rather than sorting out divorce-related disputes through litigation and contentious exchanges between the spouses, the collaborative law divorce process is one that allows the couple to work together to reach a divorce agreement that saves time, money and bad feelings. Couples will need to resolve … [Read more...]
Understanding different options for divorce
In the United States, sadly, 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Because of the important life event the end of a marriage can be for many couples, it is useful for couples considering divorce to understand all the different options that may be available to them through the family law process. Options range from traditional divorce to mediation and collaborative law. One … [Read more...]
Negotiate a divorce through collaborative law
Deciding to end a marriage is not easy, but when couples do make the decision, their aim is to work out a settlement agreement that suits their individual and mutual aims while dealing with one another respectfully. When there are children involved, it is even more important to be able to deal with one another amicably and create a settlement that will advance the children's best interests as … [Read more...]
Role of mental health professionals in collaborative law divorce
One of the advantages of opting for a collaborative law divorce in Texas is the divorce team available to the couple that has decided to end their marriage. Neutral experts who are trained in collaborative law join the process to assist in making important decisions regarding financial and custodial settlements. Mental health professionals are part of these teams from the onset, and meet with the … [Read more...]
Collaborative law divorce more effective than traditional
Every family is unique; income levels, personal situations and the reasons that they decide to put an end to a marriage, are different for every couple in Texas. However, when these couples end up in court during the divorce process because they were unable to agree on property division or child custody on their own, they may find that the orders do not suit their individual circumstances; they … [Read more...]
Does a collaborative law approach differ from a traditional one?
It is generally not easy for couples in Texas to decide that they want to put an end to their marriages and when they think about the amount of time they might have to spend in courts in pursuit of their divorces, it seems like an additional headache. In addition to this, it is possible that an amicable relationship between the divorcing couple is affected by the bitterness that sometimes … [Read more...]