Family Law London
In the past, if a couple were in dispute about their divorce or the custody of their children, the traditional way to reach a settlement might have involved the courts. Today, many people are choosing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) instead of going to court.
As ADR becomes more popular throughout England, Wales and the European Union there are an increasing number of solicitors being trained in ADR techniques and processes, enabling them to provide their clients with an alternative to the traditional approach.
There are a number of advantages to Alternative Dispute Resolution including, but not limited to, the reduction in emotional stress that comes from not having to argue your case in court:
- Less expense – In general, choosing ADR will reduce the amount of money you need to spend on legal costs, and it is typically a less expensive way of settling your Family Law dispute.
- Quicker – Because ADR relies on the individuals making decisions, not the court, using ADR techniques can often lead to a much quicker resolution
- More Civilised – With a commitment to avoiding the adversarial court room environment, and specially trained solicitors to make sure the process stays on track, ADR represents a much more civil way to settle your Family Law dispute.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Processes
There are a number of different ways ADR can help to resolve Family Law issues, and the two most common processes are:
Mediation - A trained mediator works with both parties to try and help them reach a satisfactory agreement without the need for a court hearing. Click the link to find out more about Mediation.
Collaborative Family Law – Choosing to work with specially trained Collaborative Family Law solicitors means individuals will use a series of face to face meetings to settle their dispute, instead of letting the courts decide the matter. Click the link to learn more about Collaborative Family Law.
More and more Family Law disputes are being settled using ADR processes, and this is set to continue. Unless there are special circumstances, as of April 2011 the family court is likely to refuse to hear your case unless you can show that you have looked at alternative methods, like mediation, for settling your dispute.
If you ‘re dealing with a Family Law problem, we have a number of specially trained professionals in our Family Law London office who will be more than happy to discuss how mediation or the collaborative process might help.