To the normal passersby, this sign outside a laundry in Palacios, Texas, may be seen as very funny. But, if you or your spouse are divorcing, it is not amusing at all. The messy private details of your marriage, if aired in court, may be downright embarrassing. Airing dirty laundry in the courtroom may damage your own reputation and other relationships outside the courthouse too. Just like you, preserving privacy, protecting important relationships and maintaining one’s personal and business reputation are priorities most people value.
That is a major reason why many divorcing couples choose Collaborative Divorce. Collaborative Divorce is an internationally recognized and proven way to privately and peaceably divorce without stepping into the courtroom, except to appear at a non-adversarial uncontested final hearing. In a practical sense, as a Collaborative Divorce professional I believe that the dirty laundry in your marriage is our business. That is because, by Texas statute, Collaborative Divorce is private and confidential.
In Collaborative Divorce, a series of meetings leading to a resolution are conducted in the attorneys’ offices – not in a public courtroom. This is in stark contrast to divorce litigation which focuses on blame and in court seeks to portray you or your spouse as your or your spouses’ worst acts. Under Texas law, statements made by you and your spouse in Collaborative Divorce meetings are strictly confidential and cannot be admitted into evidence in court if the process fails to end in a settlement. Collaborative Divorce is focused on solutions, not blame.
Any time past personal wrongdoing or financial problems need to be discussed, you and your spouse will have the support of a highly trained team of Collaborative Divorce professionals to help you address those concerns with dignity, respect and in complete privacy.
A joint neutral mental healthcare professional or facilitator, often doubling as a parenting planner, will help you and your spouse communicate effectively. In this way it is less likely to have productive discussions get hung up in the emotional underbrush. The facilitator can help you and your spouse develop a parenting plan which meets the unique needs of your children and your co-parenting relationship.
Prior financial dealings, which may be embarrassing, will be addressed privately by a joint neutral financial collaborative professional. The joint neutral financial advisor will help you and your spouse with budgeting, creating a financial transition plan and provide advice on how to avoid in the future the financial mistakes that were made in the past.
Yes, in reality, your dirty laundry is the business of the Collaborative Divorce process and your Collaborative Divorce professionals. So, the next time you worry about your dirty laundry being aired in court, please consider Collaborative Divorce.
Your privacy is truly our business.
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