Tarrant County Collaborative Law

07/20/2024

A brief PSA: Mediation and Collaborative Law are distinctly different. Mediation in Texas divorces involves usually a half-day or whole-day session of negotiation. We usually have each side in a separate room. A neutral mediator goes back and forth between the rooms, conveying information, questions and offers.

This is one of the keys: the mediator does not make a decision. The only way there is a resolution for the matter is if both sides agree to the terms. Also, a mediator cannot give advice to either party and cannot prepare the paperwork for the parties.

Mediation is usually a very effective process for resolving divorces, but it requires the parties to be prepared and know and understand the law and facts of the case. That understanding is best provided by having an attorney for each party. If you go into a mediation without an attorney and without preparation, you are in danger of making a really bad decision.

Mediation usually occurs after possible court hearings, Discovery (exchange of information) and preliminary negotiations. It commonly occurs just before trial or 6-12 or more months after the case is filed.

When the Collaborative process is used, it starts immediately and follows standard steps: issues are identified, information is cooperatively provided and organized, experts are utilized as needed, options are developed and agreements are reached. All of that is done outside of court and both parties have attorneys throughout the process. We can use a mediator, but normally the cases proceed without relying on a mediator. And the cases almost always settle sooner than litigated cases and in ways both parties approve of.

If you are facing a divorce, you should talk with an experienced Collaborative attorney to get answers to your questions.

03/03/2024

We moved our office to 300 Burnett Street. This is the main entrance by the parking lot on the back side of the building.

10/21/2021

How It Works: As you may know, Collaborative Divorces are actually fairly structured. Although we don't go to court, we do follow certain standard steps. We call it our Roadmap to Resolution.

We start by making sure everyone understands how the process works. Then we help each party identify their own goals and needs so we have targets to work with. Next, we gather information together, on finances and on parenting, if there are minor children.

Then, we develop possible options for settlement so each party can meet their own needs. Once we have options to choose from, we come to agreements that benefit each side.

From years of experience, I can tell you that the best way to resolve most divorces is to follow these steps in order. The result will be agreements on the terms of the divorce. And that's worth a lot!

For more information, call us for an appointment at 817-338-4633 or check out our website, Pricelawfirmtx.com.

09/21/2021

Time to take care of Business: As you may know, there is a 60-day waiting period for divorces in Texas. That applies in Collaborative divorces as well as litigated ones. If you are thinking about getting divorced and might want to wrap it up by the end of the year, now is the time to start. You might want to call a Collaborative attorney to make an appointment to get started. Good luck!

09/02/2021

Zoom has become an indispensable tool in the legal system. Court hearings and mediations are often occurring via Zoom. Not surprisingly, Zoom has become a common presence in Collaborative Divorce cases.

It''s much safer from a health standpoint, but there are other considerations as well.
1. There's no travel time. In a large county, such as Tarrant County, Zooming can save an hour to an hour and a half of travel time per meeting.
2. Everyone is comfortable. It's easier to be comfortable in your own home or office, or just your attorney's office.
3. There's a lot more flexibility in separating parties or splitting up sessions. It's easy to have a time out or a brief side meeting with some of the participants.

For these and other reasons, Collaborative cases will continue using Zoom for quite a while.

08/02/2021

If you have concerns about any of the following issues that sometimes come up in a divorce, you should consider getting a Collaborative Divorce:

Introduction to a dating partner
Paying for the kids' expenses
Managing extracurricular activities
Paying for college
Budgeting for post-divorce life.

These are issues that are usually ignored in litigated divorces. If you don't want the standard-issue divorce, consider a Collaborative Divorce to deal with the issues that are important to you.If you have concerns about any of the following issues that sometimes come up in a divorce, you should consider getting a Collaborative Divorce:

Introduction to a dating partner
Paying for the kids' expenses
Managing extracurricular activities
Paying for college
Budgeting for post-divorce life.

These are issues that are usually ignored in litigated divorces. If you don't want the standard-issue divorce, consider a Collaborative Divorce to deal with the issues that are important to you.

07/24/2021

Do you want a low-key divorce?

Many people, or sometimes their spouses, reach the decision that a divorce is unavoidable. A good number of those people know they don't want to spend a lot of money on fighting the case in court.

If you are a couple facing a divorce who have unresolved issues, but don't want to have a big court battle, you should consider a Collaborative Divorce.

Each of you should contact an experienced Collaborative attorney and choose a process that is geared to helping people work together peacefully to reach settlements on issues from custody, possession schedules, child support, spousal support, property division and debt allocation to who keeps the house (or is it sold?).

We provide a supportive, less-stressful environment for making the decisions. We are also pretty good at coming up with unique solutions for your particular circumstances. Call for an appointment to see if Collaborative would be a good fit for you.

07/04/2021

06/27/2021

Looking for a convenient attorney? Here's the Answer!

Some people looking for a Collaborative attorney only want to talk to and hire someone whose office is near where the people live. On one level that is understandable. But in a county as large as Tarrant County, we Collaborative attorneys have come up with a way to make things more convenient.
As you may know, the Collaborative Divorce process involves a series of relatively short meetings. Over time, we realized the most efficient way to meet was to find the most convenient location for our clients, by choosing among the offices of all the professionals.

Result: You can choose a very qualified Collaborative attorney, regardless of their location. The attorneys can always find ways to meet your needs for convenience and scheduling. Since Covid, we have even become better at remote meetings and calls.

Give us a call at 817-338-4633 and we can help you figure out if we can meet your needs.

06/17/2021

Sometimes a decision to divorce comes easily.

Other times, people agonize over the decision, which is understandable. Divorce is rarely based on feelings are 100% clear. People have mixed feelings. In any relationship, there are good parts and difficult parts.

If you are in the unsettling, uncertain territory and can't decide whether to divorce, here are some tips to keep in mind.

1. Work with a counselor. A good counselor can help you explore your feelings and find some clarity.

2. Don't threaten divorce. As Yoda might say, it's either divorce or no divorce, don't threaten. That is not helpful.

3. Hire a lawyer if you decide to divorce. DIY is almost always a bad decision.

Good luck in finding clarity. Don't be in a rush. It is such an important decision, you should take as much time as needed.

; to Divorce

06/15/2021

For many people, retirement accounts are the biggest assets when they are facing divorce. In a Collaborative Divorce, we bring in a neutral financial professional (FP) to help the parties work out the best mixture of assets for each other and to divide the retirement assets in the most appropriate ways. In addition the neutral FP helps the parties plan their cash flows post divorce. It amounts to a rational process that meets the needs of the parties. Divorce, , Financial Professional;