Healy & Associates Family

Collaborative Divorce v. Contested Divorce

Going through a divorce is probably one of the most painful and overwhelming events an individual can go through, next to the death of a loved one.  It is the ending of a bond that two people shared, and the erasure of the future that had once held promise. 

Divorce shouldn’t automatically equate “lawyers, guns and money,” but lawyers can assist the parties in ensuring that the interests of each party are protected without squandering the parties’ resources on attorney’s fees. 

Collaborative Divorce

In a collaborative divorce, the parties have agreed to part amicably and are able to work together and draft and sign the necessary documents in order to obtain a judgment.  A judgment will most likely be obtained within 6 months. 

In this type of situation, the parties could either draft and file all the documents on their own, or one of the parties might retain an attorney to assist both parties in getting the necessary documents drafted and filed.

Or, each party might retain an attorney and let the attorneys assist in negotiating the final marital settlement agreement between the parties.  It’s quite possible that there will not have to be any court visits. 

A collaborative divorce significantly reduces the amount of money a party will spend on attorney’s fees. 

Contested Divorce

However, if the parties are in disagreement as to custody, support, and/or property division, or if there are restraining order issues, it can take a bit longer to obtain a final judgment. 

In addition to extra paperwork, there may be several court hearings, and there may be a trial, all resulting in additional attorney’s fees. 

Anne Marie Healy is experienced in all of the situations mentioned above.  Ms. Healy prefers to settle the cases without going to court, but has the experience needed to go to court and aggressively represent her client’s interests. 

All of the issues that a person may face during a divorce are not addressed here.  If you have any specific questions pertaining to your divorce, please click here.