Susan E. McCabe, Attorney/Mediator
750 Kimball Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 639-5676 |
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CHOICES TO RESOLVE DIVORCE/FAMILY DISPUTES:
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Once the decision to end a relationship or marriage is made, the next choices are of immense importance. They will affect your life, as well as the lives of your children and other family members. The impacts last not just today, but may last for many years to come. |
The process you choose to formalize and finalize a divorce, separation, or post-decree matter, and which professionals to retain to assist you with these matters are of immense significance. It's important to know that you do have choices regarding how to resolve and finalize all the decisions surrounding these life transitions/situations.
While the traditional, adversarial, court-based system with conventional attorney representation is familiar to most people, it is not the only process to resolve and finalize these personal, family matters. Nor is it necessarily the best method for many couples, parents, and families today. Couples compete and fight in public courtrooms across the country every day for their limited resources of money and property, and also for their children. Unfortunately, too often, the end of the courtroom battle does not necessarily mean the end of the conflict. Processes are available for those who desire professional assistance throughout these life transitions, but who wish to maintain:
- control over the decisions that will affect their lives and their children's lives;
- more control of the costs and the time associated with these matters;
- family and personal privacy;
- personal dignity; and
- a healthy co-parenting or post divorce relationship.
While a small number of divorce cases actually are litigated, most family law cases eventually settle. An important question to consider is at what price does the settlement come? Far too often, settlement comes only after the clients no longer have the financial or emotional means to continue. Experience has shown that court-imposed solutions are not necessarily better than those the clients would have designed for themselves. Most parents are responsible, capable, and best-suited to design the family’s restructure and to establish co-parenting arrangements that meet the needs of their children after the divorce/separation.
Collaborative Representation and Mediation are forums to facilitate and accomplish these transitions in life and to resolve disputes with minimal court involvement. These are forums that empower the clients, respect the clients’ abilities and insights to reach agreements, and leave the responsibility of making decisions where it belongs: with the clients. The choice how best to proceed is yours, and it is an important decision. Please read on to learn about the choices you have to resolve your divorce, post-divorce, separation, or family matters.
While Mediation and Collaborative representation are not appropriate for every client, every situation, or every professional, these methods to resolve family disputes are appropriate for many. Learn about your choices and talk with a professional trained in Mediation and Collaborative Family Law representation to help you determine if either process seems appropriate for your personal situation.
Please feel free to call me with any questions you may have pertaining to the various choices that are available to you to resolve family disputes. While Mediation and Collaborative Family Law representation processes are frequently utilized in divorce/post-divorce matters, these forums are also conducive to resolving any type of family, personal, or organizational dispute.
“Litigation should not be the only service we offer to our clients.” Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman, April 25, 2003.
This website is designed for general informational purposes only. The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
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