Alternatives for Your North Carolina Divorce: Green Divorce, Mediation, and Collaborative Law
At one time, divorcing couples in North Carolina assumed that the only way to settle important matters such as child custody and support, post-separation support or alimony, and division of marital assets and debts was to take it all to a judge. While litigated divorce is still used by spouses who cannot come to an agreement on these issues themselves, more and more people are turning to alternative solutions such as Green Divorce, mediation, and collaborative law.
Green Divorce
Green divorce is an alternative dispute resolution that enables you to avoid litigation and trial. The insights and expertise of various divorce/separation professionals are combined into a single holistic approach that is designed to minimize conflict, stress, and the time and expense of unnecessary litigation.
Instead of an adversarial trial, you and your spouse use a series of mediated settlement conferences to come up with your own collaborative settlements. If you find yourself struggling to agree, input is provided by several professionals trained in a variety of divorce-related issues.
Mediation
Divorce mediation is becoming increasingly popular with couples who want to dissolve their marriage on amicable terms. With the help of a trained mediator, you and your spouse come to an agreement on child custody, visitation, child and spousal support, asset division, and more. When agreement is difficult to reach, the mediator steps in by helping to brainstorm ideas and keeping you both focused on the issues at hand.
Unlike traditional litigated divorce, mediation proceedings are private, confidential, and conducted under dignified, respectful conditions. You and your spouse work together to act in the best interests of your children and your respective futures.
Collaborative Law
Another litigation-free process, collaborative law works by establishing a series of ground rules that you, your spouse, and your attorneys agree to beforehand. Any attorney participating in a collaborative law proceeding must be specifically trained to do so, and all parties make a commitment that the current attorneys cannot represent their clients in court, if the case ends up there. The objective of the sessions is to respectfully and peacefully discuss the issues to be resolved.
In collaborative divorce, there are no “winners” and “losers” because there is simply no battleground. The focus is on coming up with creative options that meet the financial and emotional needs of everyone involved, including the children.
Contact Us
Here at Haas & Associates, we are committed to providing you with alternative dispute resolutions that save you time, money and other resources. Litigation is not the only way to resolve differences and come to a resolution. Contact us or call (919) 783-9669 today to see how we can help.