Rockland & Orange County’s Premier Collaborative Divorce Services

Would you prefer that you and your spouse make divorce decisions for your family, rather than a judge?

Collaborative divorce offers the residents of Rockland County a quicker, more comfortable, and less stressful alternative to a traditional litigated divorce. Collaborative divorce also allows the parties to dissolve the marriage in a manner that minimizes the effects on children. It is a genuinely empowering process that will enable you and your spouse to make the decisions regarding your life rather than a judge

Save time & money with the collaborative process

Collaborative law offers a cost-effective and timely resolution to your divorce. As a collaborative divorce lawyer and past treasurer of the Rockland Collaborative Law Network, Mark Paige is a strong supporter of this respectful approach to divorce.  Collaborative law offers a no-court alternative to a traditional litigated divorce. It can help provide a healthy, hopeful transition through this time of change. Separating and divorcing is never easy, but when couples and their attorneys choose a non-adversarial approach, the entire family can benefit.    If you are looking for a quality collaborative law attorney, please call The Law Office of Mark S. Paige, P.C., for a consultation.

How does collaborative law work?

The parties and their attorneys sign a participation agreement in which they agree to settle the divorce out of court. Both parties will agree to complete disclosure.   Collaborative divorce may be the best option if you feel that you and your spouse can make better decisions than a judge, who does not know your family or its needs.    When the process is successful, the marital separation agreement will be drafted. This agreement lays out the decisions made regarding property division, child custody, child support, and other divorce-related issues. The separation agreement cannot be appealed. Each party contributes and agrees to each topic in the separation agreement.  The attorney for each party will ensure the document is fair and both parties agree to it before anyone signs it.

The benefits of collaborative divorce

Collaborative law is a beneficial process for all involved, including children. Collaborative law allows people to make decisions regarding their future. When both spouses are involved in making decisions, it is much more likely that they will be amicable after the divorce decree is issued. Divorced couples who work together through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) are more likely to work together in the future, setting a good example for their children.

When should Divorce Mediation be considered?

When a marriage is over, and a couple may want to end the relationship as quickly and painlessly as possible, divorce mediation may be the right path.

Here are 7 considerations to take into account when considering collaborative divorce. If you can yes to these, mediation may be an effective means of divorce for your family.

1. When an amicable conclusion is a divorce goal
2. When a couple can come together and set aside their emotions to address contested marital issues.
3. When a couple wants to work together to control the process rather than having a judge make all the decisions,
4. When a couple wants a process that has fewer effects on their children and them
5. When couples can work through a fair agreement on spousal maintenance, property distribution, child support, child custody, relocation, and more.
6. When a couple wants to save money by avoiding court costs; yet want to invest in each having their own lawyer to help in the process.
7. When the couple wants to save time on the divorce process.

If you need legal advice from a knowledgeable attorney or an experienced and effective mediator, contact The Law Offices of Mark S. Paige, P.C. for a consultation to discuss your options at 845-639-0981

Seven Benefits of Collaborative Divorce

1.  Each party is being heard and understood

Both individuals agree to listen and understand the issue of the other and work, with the help and guidance of their collaborative attorney to develop a fair agreement

2.  Financial and emotional protection

The agreement will cover the dissolution of the couple’s finances, done fairly. The issues such as child custody, child support, spousal support, how to pay for additional expenses such as camp and education as well as visitation will all be discussed, negotiated, and agreed upon. Each party’s collaborative lawyer will be there to make sure they receive a fair deal and that they are protected.

3.  Minimizing the impact on the children

The process focuses on the family’s new life after the divorce.   It resolves issues that could cause disagreements, such as how to pay for camp, school expenses, and college. The collaborative process has the individuals work through all of these issues and jointly decide what is best rather than a judge decreeing it. Having control and input removes the friction on not having a say in critical issues affecting the couple and their children.  In most cases, this significantly reduces the friction that causes arguments and impacts children negatively.

4.   Simplifying the divorce process

The parties work through each issue of the divorce; their lawyer is there to both facilitate the process and protect the individual’s rights. With all four individuals focused on a fair outcome and one that facilitates a healthy, new beginning, the process is less likely to get bogged down in issues that complicate and add expenses to the divorce. 

5.  Controlling the divorce decisions

You and your spouse will jointly make all the decisions that affect your family rather than leaving it to a judge who does not know your family or its specific needs. Who understands you and your children’s needs better than the parents? The process structures you to develop an agreement that is acceptable to the couple divorcing and is as healthy as possible for the children.

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6.  Reduction of stress

When the parties and their attorneys agree to work together in the best interest of all family members, the focus is on developing a healthy future and not on who gets the “coffee pot.” The process, while not simple or always fun, focused on the long-term health of the family and inherently reduces stress.

7.  Saving time and money

When the couple divorcing agrees to work together to develop a fair agreement, conducive to quality relationships in the post-divorce era, the process moves faster.   Decisions are reviewed thoroughly, and the couple’s lawyers make sure that both everyone is fairly treated.  Therefore, the process does not get hung up on disagreements that over time, do not matter. Sometimes in a litigated divorce, couples end up arguing over who gets the TV (that if sold used is only worth a few bucks.)  Both attorneys make sure that the parties focus on what matters and give and take in a fair manner to resolve the issues and move on to a new life. Focusing and being dedicated to the result, and being coached by their lawyers, the process goes quicker and faster and is less costly.

Why the Collocative divorce process works

The seven goals of the collocative divorce process are the key to the success of this alternative to a litigated divorce. These goals are similar to divorce mediation, and the process is similar. The difference is that both parties have their collaborative lawyer. The parties and attorneys agree to work through the issues of divorce collaboratively.   The goal is to develop a dissolution of the marriage in a manner that achieves these seven benchmarks. It has been said that when the individuals their children more than they want to win in a divorce, they are a good candidate for collaborative divorce.   When the parties wish to a reset in their soon-to-be single lives in a manner that that encourages communication, and positive relationship with their children, they are excellent candidates.

Topics & Issues Resolved via Mediation

The major topics & issues that are addressed, negotiated, and resolved in the divorce mediation process are:

1. Custody and parental access
2. Parenting plan – dealing with visitation and parental access for all holidays and situations
3. Major decisions affecting the health, education, and well-being of the children
4. Financial issues – the division of assets and debt, child support, maintenance
5. other financial support for the children

If you would like to see a complete list of the issues and sub-issues that are covered, please check them out on his sister site: The Rockland Family Divorce Mediation Center

Our clients say it best… 

(note- we only publish first names on reviews for confidentiality reasons)

Why people in Rockland  & Orange Counties
choose Mark Paige as their collaborative lawyer

The Law Offices of Mark S. Paige, P.C. has been a legal resource for over 25 years to clients in the Hudson Valley. Alternative dispute resolution can benefit a family in turmoil. If you are interested in finding out more about this alternative to contested divorce, contact our firm. We are ready to provide the quality legal guidance needed to effectively protect your rights and interests through the divorce process and ensure that the result is fair and just. If you need an experienced and skilled collaborative divorce lawyer in Rockland County or Orange, contact Mark Paige for a consultation at 845-639-0981