What is Divorce Mediation?

Most couples only know about a court-litigated divorce – like the glamourous ones we read about or see in popular drama series. But did you know there are several divorce methods that you can use to dissolve your marriage? In addition to a collaborative divorce, another time- and cost-effective method of divorcing outside of court is through divorce mediation, and here’s why: A neutral third-party mediator will help couples reach an amicable divorce agreement without litigation or major delays Mediators can explain how the various methods of divorce work This process can help resolve issues without going to court – […]

ABD Retreats

In 2003, the Los Angeles County South Bay area collaborative practice group known as A Better Divorce began its continuing tradition of holding a retreat every two years. The accompanying photo shows the group in 2003 participating in our first retreat. The key to an effective collaborative divorce process is trust, and the group recognized early on that a biennial retreat would be a key building block in establishing trust among the professionals in the group—the attorneys, financial consultants, and mental health professionals. (Trust among ourselves is the foundation to establishing trust with our clients.) It has proved true, and […]

What is a Collaborative Divorce?

Divorce is often filled with roadblocks and detours, there can be so many gray areas that need to be worked through, and it can be financially and emotionally draining. But did you know there is a process that looks at the family as a whole? The goal is to help couples divorce amicably, co-parent together and keep the family unit intact for the future by not pitting couples against each other in a bitter court-litigated divorce. It is called a collaborative divorce. Let’s dive into the process to learn more about it. In a traditional court divorce, you will often […]

What Is A Litigated Divorce and Why There Are Better Options

Getting a divorce can often feel like a kick in the pants, emotionally, mentally and financially. Your world stops turning, and then when it’s all said and done, you are often unsure how you go on. This is especially true when you go through a litigated divorce through the court system. There are many different aspects of a court divorce. Let us share them with you: Litigation is considered the traditional divorce process that involves court proceedings Both spouses retain their own lawyer who represents them in the process Frequently court divorces become very heated and adversarial because the lawyer […]

What Are the Top Reasons for a Divorce?

It is an unfortunate moment in someone’s life when they realize the person they once loved with their heart and soul is no longer the person they want to remain married to, and a divorce is the only path forward. And when our team of collaborative divorce experts meets with couples for the very first time, we are often made aware of the reason for the divorce. We have found that for most divorcing couples, their reason for divorcing is often a common one. Here are a few of them: Physical, verbal or emotional abuse to spouse or children Marital […]