Clearwater Direct Negotiation Lawyer
The decision to end a marriage is often mutual. Many parties are eager to get through their divorce as quickly as possible with a minimum of conflict. Ideally, there are only a few outstanding financial and legal issues that need to be sorted out to reach a fair and amicable divorce settlement.
In these situations, the parties often resort to direct negotiations rather than relying on a third party such as a mediator or arbitrator to assist them. Even in such scenarios, however, the divorcing spouses can still benefit from having their own attorney advise and represent them during the settlement process. Our Clearwater direct negotiation lawyer can help. The Law Office of Gale H. Moore, P.A., has provided marital and family law representation to clients throughout Pinellas County since 1998. Our solo attorney is Board certified in marital and family law by the Florida Bar, and she can bring that expertise to work for you as you look to conclude your marriage and move on with your life.
What Happens in a Divorce Settlement Negotiation?
There are three main goals in any direct negotiation of a divorce settlement:
- discussing the differences you have with your spouse;
- reaching a compromise on those differences that you can both live with; and
- producing a final settlement agreement to submit to the court for approval.
Direct negotiation works best when there are only a few key issues to be resolved and there is still a certain degree of trust between the spouses. Not only do both sides need to approach direct negotiation with the belief that a settlement is possible, each spouse needs to feel like they are on a level playing field. If there is a significant power imbalance or a history of violent conflict within the marriage, then direct negotiation is unlikely to produce a satisfactory outcome for one or both parties.
That said, when direct negotiation works, it has significant advantages. First and foremost, it is far less expensive and time consuming to directly negotiate a divorce settlement than to rely on litigation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. In some cases, it may only take a couple of settlement conferences between the spouses and their attorneys to reach a settlement. This can not only benefit the spouses, but also their children and other family members, who do not feel like they are caught in the middle of what could have been a nasty, drawn-out divorce.
Reach Out to a Clearwater Direct Negotiation Lawyer for Support
Remember, even if you are looking to directly negotiate a divorce settlement with your estranged spouse, that does not mean you should enter into such discussions without the assistance of a qualified attorney. Our Clearwater direct negotiation lawyer can help explain the law to you in this area, work with your spouse and their attorney, and advise you on potential alternatives should you be unable to come to an agreement on a settlement. So if you would like to speak with an attorney and learn more about the direct negotiation process, call the Law Office of Gale H. Moore, P.A., today at 727-584-2528 to schedule a consultation.
