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Chad Layton Collaborative Divorce Attorney

10 Screening Questions: Is The Collaborative Process Right For My Divorce?

The Collaborative Divorce Process is a structured and streamlined approach that offers families an alternative to the traditional divorce litigation route.  You can resolve your divorce outside of court through a peaceful and private process. However, the Collaborative Process is not a good fit for every divorce. Here are 10 Screening Questions that will help…

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

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

What Is The Role Of The Financial Professional In Collaborative Divorce?

Collaborative divorce is a process that prioritizes respectful communications, freely exchanged information, direct participation of both spouses, and solutions to accomplish the goals set by you and your spouse. These are lofty ideals that are achieved every day by collaboratively trained attorneys, mental health professionals, and financial professionals. The financial professional on your Collaborative team…

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 west palm beach

How Do I Tell My Husband Or Wife That I Want A Collaborative Divorce?

Talking to your husband or wife about divorce is not an easy conversation.  However, if you need to have this conversation, it is best to be prepared. Here is a short list of tips that may help in the discussion with your spouse about the benefits of Collaborative Divorce: Deadlines – Don’t create any unrealistic…

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…

Chad Layton collaborative divorce attorney west palm beach

No, We Are Not Fighting Over The Kids

In some divorces, parents become engaged in a custody battle. Many years ago, I learned that custody battles are a losing proposition, especially for the children. The system is designed to fail. The system, if you choose to fight in court, provides specific factors that each parent and their attorney will use to build a…

Chad Layton collaborative divorce attorney west palm beach

2023 Resolution – Help Families Stop Fighting In Court

Happy New Year!  This year, we are working to help families stop fighting in court.  Many clients that I meet with for the first time haven’t heard of the collaborative divorce process. They have been told that they must choose between trying to figure out the legal process of divorce on their own or filing…

Divorce Peacefully

Help Families Divorce Peacefully

Spouses and children that are facing the possibility of divorce almost never benefit from the dysfunctional and hostile process that is the “traditional” divorce in Palm Beach County. The “traditional” divorce will include process servers, court reporters, subpoenas, depositions and contested court hearings. None of these steps will help the family to resolve their divorce…