Divorce Court Is Not Good For Your Business

The last thing that you need as a small business owner is to make a legal mess of your divorce. What is a legal mess?   You know the answer – court dates, delays, lawyers taking control of your divorce, your financial affairs being combed through with a fine-tooth comb by forensic accountants – two…

Chad Layton collaborative divorce attorney west palm beach

Who Gets The House In a Divorce?

Collaborative Divorce: Interest Based Negotiation vs. Position Based Negotiation Interests are different from positions.  A position generally has only one possible answer – who will get the house?  Me or my spouse. An interest has a number of possible answers – I want to receive the house in our divorce because: it’s close to our…

Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

How Do I Obtain A Peaceful Divorce?

The way we start matters.  More and more I hear this question from a husband or a wife, or both spouses, during a divorce consultation: How do I (we) obtain a peaceful divorce? This simple question, or some variation of it, opens the door to a private, peaceful and respectful divorce process.  This civil and…

Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

Can I Use the Collaborative Process to Modify Alimony or a Parenting Plan?

Yes, the Collaborative Process works as a peacemaking option for divorce actions, and to modify or fix previously entered divorce judgments. Often times, years after a divorce is finalized, changes occur in the family that create a need to modify the terms of the divorce judgment. These changes are often related to addressing concerns for…

Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

Is Court The Best Place For My Divorce?

No, the courthouse is not the best venue to resolve your divorce. Courts and judges are needed to handle criminal cases, and many other legal conflicts.  However, in my opinion, court is not the best venue to resolve your divorce peacefully and privately. Surgeons Are Like Litigation Attorneys Here is a good analogy: In the…

Chad Layton collaborative divorce attorney west palm beach

Divorce Is Not: You Vs. Your Spouse

Divorce is defined by the American Bar Association as a court decree finding that a valid marriage no longer exists. The path that you choose to obtain a court decree ending your marriage is your choice. You don’t need to, and I would strongly recommend that you do not: Engage in a legal battle with…

Chad Layton collaborative divorce attorney west palm beach

Collaborative Divorce Protects Your Privacy

Collaborative divorce is a peaceful, private and respectful process that helps families to reach a fair resolution.  The entire team agrees not to fight in Court. Collaborative divorce is drastically different than a litigated divorce, where  you file a lawsuit against your spouse, and then wait for lawyers and judges to determine the outcome of…

Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

Should I Bring My Spouse With Me To Talk To A Divorce Attorney?

Divorce Options Yes, you can bring your spouse with you to talk to a divorce attorney. There are many advantages to bringing your spouse with you to this meeting. Transparency The biggest benefit to having your spouse at the meeting (zoom or in person) is that you are showing your husband or wife that you…

Chad Layton collaborative divorce attorney west palm beach

How Do I Make A Plan For Divorce?

For many of us, making a plan is the first step to overcoming an obstacle. Divorce is no different. MAKING A PLAN FOR DIVORCE First, you can sit down and consider what your objective goals are for your divorce. Write out an outline that includes the following: Do I really want to divorce my spouse,…

Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

How Do I Tell My Spouse That I Want A Divorce?

Broaching the topic of divorce with your husband or wife is no easy task. Informing your husband or wife that you have done everything you can to repair the relationship, and that you have made the difficult decision to end the marriage is as hard as it gets. As a friend of mine often says,…