What Types of Family Law Cases Can Be Resolved Through ADR?
Alternative dispute resolution offers families an effective way to resolve disputes without litigation. Both sides can be heard and negotiate decisions on important legal matters. Our experienced Harrisburg family law attorneys at Purdy Law Office, LLC, are ready to help you navigate the legal process while protecting your rights.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Family law cases involve disputes that must be settled by the parties or decided by the court. When both parties are open to finding mutually acceptable terms, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) can help. ADR offers these advantages:
- The process affords the participants greater privacy.
- The participants retain the right to hammer out important decisions between themselves.
- Many couples are motivated to make ADR work for them, as a final means of avoiding court.
The primary forms of ADR in Harrisburg family law cases are mediation and collaborative law.
The Kinds of Harrisburg Cases Often Resolved through ADR
Family law cases commonly resolved through alternative dispute resolution include:
- Post-divorce modifications
- Child custody and child support cases outside of divorce
Mediation vs. Collaborative Law
Both mediation and collaborative law help you avoid court, though each has key differences.
Mediation
In mediation, you and your lawyer meet with your ex and a neutral mediator, who does not give advice. The mediator discusses issues with each side separately to facilitate negotiation.
The idea is to find a middle ground that you and your ex can each live with, in the context of Pennsylvania’s related laws. If you can negotiate terms that you are both willing to sign off on, they will become legally binding. If not, however, mediation will have no direct impact on your case.
Collaborative Law
In a collaborative law case, you and your ex must each sign a participation agreement. If either side chooses to drop out of the process along the way, each party’s legal representative will be disqualified, and the process of negotiating terms or heading to court will begin anew.
Collaborative law often uses a team approach, involving neutral specialists on issues like child custody or finances.
Turn to Our Experienced Harrisburg Family Law Lawyers for the Help You Need
Our Harrisburg family law attorneys at Purdy Law Office focus on helping clients avoid court and achieving positive resolutions. For more information, contact us online or call 717-674-2885 today.