Texas Divorce Dispute Resolution Stage

After you and your divorce attorney have all of the information that you need, or anticipate needing to make decisions in your Texas divorce, you may attempt to resolve your Texas divorce case and reach an agreement with the other side.  There are several ways you might attempt to do that including divorce mediation, divorce settlement conferences, exchanging settlement offers through your divorce lawyers, sitting down informally with the other side.  And, you and your divorce attorney might use a combination of all of these divorce dispute resolution methods in an attempt to reach a divorce agreement you can both live with and finish your divorce.

 

Texas Divorce Dispute Resolution

After your attorney has filed the initial pleadings, and you have all the information that you need for right now, your attorney may start talking about “dispute resolution”.  “Dispute Resolution” means resolving issues and reaching an agreement to finish the divorce.  It will likely involve some combination of methods and types of negotiation.  This is the third stage of your divorce and will likely be some attempts to reach a negotiated agreement between you and your spouse.

 

Divorce Mediation

Divorce mediation is one of the ways that you might attempt to come to an agreement with your spouse.  In divorce mediation, the mediator is usually a lawyer with family law and divorce experience.  The mediator is neutral and not associated with either spouse in the case.  The mediator is not a judge and will not make any rulings on that day.  The divorce mediator will focus on getting an agreement between you and the other side of your divorce case.  Your advocate in the mediation is your divorce attorney.  In my office we prepare clients for the mediation before the actual mediation day.  We prepare in several different ways including meeting face to face.  During mediation, we will discuss questions, review information and options.  The mediator will work with both sides of the divorce case. The mediator isn’t on your side or your spouse’s side.  The mediator’s job and focus is on the mediation and working with both sides to assist you all to reach an agreement in your divorce case.  Usually you won’t see the other side, unless you want to meet with them and they agree.

 

Divorce Settlement Conference

Settlement conference is another way of negotiating in divorce.  Settlement conference can be at a lawyer’s office and the parties each meet in an office with their divorce lawyer and the lawyers then meet in a different room to discuss and negotiation.  Again, you don’t have to see each other if you don’t want to.  The divorce lawyers can do all of their work with you, or they can meet with the other divorce lawyer or even meet with the other divorce attorney without you.

 

Kitchen Table Discussions

And, you and your spouse might sit down together and work out the divorce details yourselves. It could even be that you both come to an divorce agreement you can live with at your kitchen table. Sometimes, this works. With the right divorce, the right parties and issues, and at the right time, this can be a great resolution to the divorce.  This isn’t a good option in every divorce. If you’re not sure if this is a good idea for your divorce, talk with your divorce lawyer.

Talk with your Divorce Lawyer

Talk with your divorce lawyer before you begin to negotiate in your divorce.  Make sure your divorce lawyer is up to date and you are working with your divorce lawyer throughout the negotiation process.

 

This post is the fourth post in our Navigating Texas Divorce series. An experienced divorce attorney will discuss these methods with you and prepare you for the methods that you and your attorney choose to use.  Call today to make an appointment with experienced divorce attorney Jill O’Connell to answer your questions about your divorce.

Jill O’Connell, 940-497-5454