Collaborative Divorce FAQ: Will Our Divorce Take Longer?

There are only two ways to get divorce in Michigan: By agreement between the parties or by a divorce trial. Therefore, Collaborative Divorce usually takes less time than traditional courtroom proceedings. With both methods of getting divorce, the time table is greatly affected by the ability of the parties to consult together and work through their differences. Since the emotional aspect of divorce is handled during a Collaborative Divorce and people are immediately working toward an end, in most cases, they reach finality much sooner than the traditional litigated divorces. Furthermore, they are continuing to work together and build trust, so are much less polarized by the time the divorce is final. Persons going through a Collaborative Divorce have time to consider alternatives and tweak agreements. This is completely unlike the last ditch effort to sign an agreement on the courtroom steps before trial or the last minute shuttle mediation before trial. In those situations, a mediator runs back and forth between wife and her lawyer and husband and his lawyer to slap together a deal. Most of the time, the next day both parties have buyer’s remorse!