Feb 13, 2020
Different Kinds of Divorce. Different Kinds of Divorce Attorneys. Which is Right?
Divorce Mediation
Many people, when they realize something has to give, find themselves in uncharted waters. Negotiating the unknown while hurt or angry can be daunting. When coming to the conclusion that it is time to consider proceeding with divorce, most people don’t realize that they have options. Overwhelmingly, people in this situation hop on Google and begin to search “divorce attorney” or “divorce attorney near me.” The truth is there are different paths to divorce and there are different kinds of divorce attorneys. It may be wise to take the time to investigate the difference.
When most people think of divorce attorneys they inherently associate this with going to court. The picture often conjured up includes sitting across the table, each party having their own divorce attorney. The two sides duke it out. Assets are divided and if no agreement is reached you go to court and the court decides. You are in litigation.
Here is the part that nobody talks about. This is also why when people ask what divorce costs they can’t get a straight answer. Divorce attorneys that get involved in divorce litigation are paid by their time. They are also in it solely for you, the person who hired them. The minute you hire a litigation centric divorce attorney two sides are created, yours and theirs. The result can be protracted litigation or the largest financial settlement for you regardless of the emotional cost.
A litigation Divorce Attorney may be the right answer for you but for many, it is not. It some cases me vs them makes sense, in some cases the best solution for both makes sense. This is often the case when there are children to consider.
There is an alternative process for ending a marriage and that is Mediation. Mediation services are provided by attorney-mediators. Attorney -mediators are skilled divorce attorneys but they choose mediation over litigation as a starting point. Only if mediation does not make sense do they refer you to a litigation-focused divorce attorney. Every attorney at Alpha Divorce Mediation is a divorce attorney that has spent many years working in divorce litigation but has chosen to practice mediation. Attorney-mediators have reached the conclusion that in many cases, divorce mediation provides a better holistic outcome for all involved. Often both parties walk away with the best possible solution financially and in terms of personal mental health.
It certainly does not hurt that divorce mediation is almost always less expensive than litigation. Most times divorce mediation is a set price, which you are given before the process even starts. Divorce attorneys that are litigators can’t give you a price other than “it depends.” This is because these attorneys charge by the hour. Divorce attorneys that get involved in litigation make more money from your divorce the longer it takes. In other words, they profit more when it goes to court, something you should know if you go down this avenue.
If you are interested in learning more about Divorce Litigation vs Divorce Mediation please see the following page: Understanding Your Divorce Options
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