What is a Collaborative Divorce in New Jersey?

Collaborative law is a relatively new legal process that assists divorcing couples in avoiding litigation. Both parties are represented by specially trained attorneys who, in crafting a fair and appropriate settlement that best meets their individual needs as well as those of their children, enlist other professionals, such as financial experts or mental health professionals, to help assist the parties.

Collaborative law is non-adversarial in its approach. The parties typically participate in a series of settlement conferences and pledge to one another not to engage in contentious litigation. In fact, in collaborative law, the Court is never involved until the point that the matter is already resolved and the Court can simply put through an uncontested divorce.

Besides being a more mature, sensitive, and calm approach, collaborative law is oftentimes much less expensive than battling it out in court. If you are interested in collaborative law, I urge you to consult with a collaboratively-trained and certified collaborative law attorney, such as myself.

With more than 20 years of experience in family law, Brian Winters is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as both a matrimonial attorney and a mediator. A partner at Keith, Winters & Wenning, LLC in New Jersey, Brian provides professional and knowledgeable counsel to divorcing individuals. For more information about Brian or his firm, please watch his presentation