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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,…

Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

Do I Need a Child Specialist In My Collaborative Divorce?

There is no doubt that the Collaborative divorce process is more popular among families that have minor children.  Parents put their children first.  They don’t agree on everything, but they do agree that they will do everything in their power to protect their children from the potential harmful impacts of a nasty divorce. A trained…

Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

What Is A Fair Divorce Settlement?

It’s a question that lingers in the mind of anyone transitioning through the tough landscape of divorce: What is a fair divorce settlement? This is a question that I am asked more and more often by a husband or wife during Collaborative divorce consultations.  I see this as progress. In the Collaborative divorce setting, fair…

Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

How Does a Child Specialist Help in Collaborative Divorce?

Divorce is a difficult and challenging process for everyone involved, especially for children that are in the middle of the process. Collaborative divorce offers a peaceful and child-centered approach, which minimizes the negative impact on children. When minor children are part of the family, a valuable addition to the collaborative divorce team is a child…

Chad Layton collaborative divorce attorney west palm beach

Can I Get A Collaborative Divorce If We Don’t Agree On Everything?

Yes.  The Collaborative Divorce process provides you with a team of experienced divorce professionals that work to provide you with solutions that are tailored to the unique circumstances and finances of your marriage. Your Collaborative Divorce team can include a financial professional, a mental health professional and two collaboratively trained divorce attorneys.  The entire team…

Chad Layton collaborative divorce attorney west palm beach

How Does The New Florida Alimony Law Affect Collaborative Divorce?

On June 30, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Florida alimony reform bill into law. Here are a few take aways from the new alimony statute: Permanent or “Lifetime Alimony” is eliminated. Adultery by either spouse may now be considered in awarding alimony, and its resulting financial impact on the spouses. The legal standard of “need”…

Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

What Are The Rules Of Collaborative Divorce?

The strength of collaborative divorce is that there is only one rule, and that is that the spouses will not resort to a court battle. Instead, each spouse chooses their own collaboratively trained divorce attorney. Each attorney will sign a disqualification clause that provides that they cannot represent either spouse in a contested court action.…

Chad Layton, Esq. Collaborative Divorce Attorney

E-Book: How To Get Divorced Without Fighting In Court.

I am often asked, “What is a mindful divorce? How did you come up with that name for your law practice?” After handling highly contested divorce cases and divorce trials in Palm Beach County for over 10 years, I was introduced to the collaborative divorce process. This was an eye opener for me.  Instead of…

Chad Layton collaborative divorce attorney

Hourly Billing Woes

Over the weekend, I read a good article in the Palm Beach Post about hourly legal fees charged to the School Board. These bills were of course ultimately paid by us, the taxpayers in Palm Beach County. The law firm billed at the rate of $660 per hour. The columnist made light of the obvious…