From Sandra Joan Morris, Esq., past president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers:
Most litigated cases take at least two years to complete and get to trial or settlement. Many take far longer. At that point the “back-end” (after discovery is complete) mediations or settlement conferences can take a few sessions, but I have had complex cases that have taken a year or more to resolve in mediation or settlement conferencing. On the other hand, my experience in collaborative cases is that they usually conclude in just over a year.
The collaborative teams include a mental health professional coach for each party, an attorney for each party, a neutral financial expert and, if needed, a neutral child specialist. Litigated cases usually have an attorney for each party, a financial expert for each party as well as possibly a neutral expert, a custody mediator and perhaps a custody evaluator. Not only are there fewer professionals in the collaborative process, but they do not overlap their work and are united in being solution-oriented. The addition of the collaborative coaches is a very valuable component. Coaches help the parties to learn to communicate more effectively and productively, which allows them to focus on their settlement issues. The education they provide is invaluable both for the settlement process, and after the case is over.
Does a collaborative divorce cost more? Since it saves time, discovery expense, and emotional stress and exhaustion, my answer is “no.”
Read more at Collaborative Family Law Group of San Diego.
ABC Collaborative Divorce Blog 
Posted on July 21, 2013
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