Collaborative Law and Mediation: Real Solutions for Complex Family Problems
When legal issues involve your family or marriage, emotions run high. Disputes can affect your financial stability and cause deep psychological wounds. As an alternative to litigation, collaborative law is a matrimonial and paternity dispute resolution process to achieve mutually agreeable solutions. At The Davies Law Firm, LLC, we know that it is possible to achieve a settlement that best meets the needs of divorcing couples, or those with paternity issues, without lengthy and contentious litigation. We help parties in family law cases find common ground and create an agreement with advantages for both sides.
Dedicated Central Florida Family Law Attorney
The Davies Law Firm, LLC, represents clients seeking a divorce, paternity action, or modification across Central Florida. Our founding attorney, Kathleen Davies, is a trained collaborative lawyer with a master’s degree focused on leadership and negotiations. With more than thirty-five years of collaborative law and trial experience, she combines compassion with a seasoned toughness to help family law and divorcing couples create favorable agreements. We encourage the collaborative law process, using mediation to find amicable solutions to challenging problems.
Family Law Mediation for a Divorce or Paternity Action includes:
- Property Division
- Child Custody
- Alimony
- Child Support
- Child Visitation
- Post-Divorce Modifications
Why Choose a Collaborative Approach?
The cooperative nature of collaborative law promotes respectful and honest negotiations to achieve mutually agreed upon divorce and paternity settlements. A collaborative lawyer ensures a safe platform for negotiations between parties and lessens the emotional stress of initiating a litigated divorce. It gives both parties in a dispute more control over the outcome of their case. In addition, collaborative law allows parents to create a positive and successful co-parenting relationship.
Collaborative Law Lessens the Stress of Litigation
When a settlement is not reached, the dispute is referred to family court as a contested divorce or paternity proceeding. There, a family court judge decides the outcome based on the evidence and the children’s best interests. The judge’s decision can leave both parties dissatisfied without their desired concessions. The collaborative route does not leave the outcome up to a judge who may not be familiar with every detail of your unique situation.
Advantages of Mediation
Mediation is a practical and common approach to a collaborative process. Mediation is informal and confidential, taking place outside the courtroom without all the legal formalities. It keeps family matters out of public record. Traditional litigation can lead to drawn-out disputes and aggressive retaliatory acts. Mediated settlements that address both parents’ interests are generally more satisfactory than solutions imposed by a judge.
Mediation builds a foundation for both parties to approach future problem-solving without an adversarial approach. In addition to having control of the outcome, studies show the collaborative approach is generally faster and less costly than divorce litigation, which helps when funds are needed to support two households.
Set a New Direction for Your Future
Your decisions during divorce or paternity will profoundly affect you and your children’s future. At The Davies Law Firm, LLC, we can help you make sound decisions and resolve disputes during challenging times. Our goal is to safeguard meaningful family relationships and promote amicable settlements of disputes.
Our firm evaluates the divorce, paternity, or modification agreement to ensure there will not be delays in the court’s approval. After both parties sign an agreement, it is presented to a family court judge for review. Upon a judge’s approval, the divorce or paternity action is granted, and the decisions made by both parties become legally binding.
Custom Strategies for Family Law Issues
The Davies Law Firm, LLC, offers a Free Consultation to discuss your pending divorce, paternity action, or modification needs. Together, we will determine if a collaborative approach is a good fit for your unique situation. Attorney Kathleen Davies has proven results through collaboration, mediation, pre-trial negotiations, or trial. She believes in being accessible to her clients during and after business hours to discuss concerns and answer questions.
Contact The Davies Law Firm, LLC, at 855-688-4713 to schedule an appointment at our Cocoa, Florida office. We represent clients in Brevard, Orange, Seminole, and Osceola Counties with caring and compassion.