One question clients will often ask is, “Can I speed up my divorce?” The answer to that question is a cautious yes. If you are prepared emotionally and with the documentation you need and can quickly agree with your spouse on the resolution of important issues, the process will go faster than if you fight on every issue and need a lot of court time.
Speed up the Process by Being Prepared
Divorce is a big life change and upheaval for your family. Although you want to get quickly to the other side of it, you do not want to make rash decisions based on your emotions in order to just get it over. You want to be as sure as you can be about your decisions, so you do not have regrets later.
There are some things that take time over which you have no control. For example, you may need to wait for your accountant to prepare your taxes. You may need to wait for the appraisal to come in for your home or business.
If you have done your homework, you will have the knowledge you need about your assets and your finances. Then in meetings with your spouse and your respective attorneys, you will be prepared to express your needs in a way that will be heard.
You should also be prepared to listen to what your spouse has to say about what is important to him or her. You should both consider how you might be able to accommodate your respective and collective goals and interests, if possible.
The Collaborative Divorce Is One Way to Have a Faster Divorce
In a Collaborative Divorce, there are communication coaches who help you and your spouse prepare and really think about what is important to you. For example, when you say, “I want the house” do you really mean you want the specific brick and mortar structure your family has been living in, or do you mean, “I want a home that is in a safe neighborhood that will be a good place for my children with good schools nearby.”
In a Collaborative Divorce, you both have the professional support you need to make good decisions. This also makes the process go faster. There is no waiting for court dates and no reliance on a judge to make decisions for you. You make your own decisions.
With the help of the collaborative team, you and your spouse put together your settlement agreement and file it with the court. It then becomes the court’s final order.
For assistance with any aspect of your divorce, contact us at Chase, Berenstein and Murray, Counselors at Law.