Central Valley
Collaborative Law Affiliates
Welcome!
Collaborative family law is an innovative approach to restructuring your family after divorce which focuses on the needs of your family and allows you and the other person to be in charge of the decisions affecting the rest of your life.
Central Valley Collaborative Law Affiliates is a group of family law attorneys whose members are devoted to the practice of Collaborative Law in family law matters.
Collaborative Law is a rapidly evolving family law dispute resolution process which has succeeded in resolving many hundreds of family law cases without litigation. Its most prominent characteristic is the mutual covenant not to resort to litigation to resolve the matter, with the sanction of the disqualification of all counsel and joint experts from participation in litigation if collaboration fails.
The goal of the collaborative process is to assist the parties in finding their own resolution of their disputes, by recognizing each party's legitimate interests and concerns. Through renouncing litigation, divorcing parties are better able to identify and pursue these interests and ultimately craft a mutually acceptable settlement. The process reduces acrimony, uncertainty, and litigation costs. Self respect and respect for the other spouse are preserved in the process, enhancing each party's regard for the other as well as their ability to deal with the other party in the future.
Collaborative participants report that clients are far more satisfied with the outcome of their divorces than those who followed the traditional model, even where settlement was achieved. The lawyers are more content, having participated in a resolution process where the parties have achieved a win-win resolution. The courts are happier with less crowded calendars, and see fewer post-settlement disputes.