A Really Quick Divorce Option in Florida

The Chicago Tribune recently reported on a form of collaborative family law being offered as a “Weekend Divorce.”  Here is more:

Breaking up is hard to do—even when both husband and wife are ready to bring their marriage to an end. As a result, divorce can often be financially devastating and time consuming.

Against that backdrop, attorneys Sandra Young and Brian Garvey have developed an innovative antidote that is believed to be the first of its kind anywhere: “The Weekend Divorce.”

A centerpiece of their streamlined approach is booking a hotel conference room for two days and negotiating every detail of the divorce agreement and signing all documents by the time the couple leaves on Sunday.

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Collaborative Divorce (aka Collaborative Law or Collaborative Practice) is a “no-court-client-centered” dispute resolution process that separating spouses can use with the help of specially trained and licensed legal, mental health and financial professionals.

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“This is not like those quickie marriages you hear about in Las Vegas drive-thrus,” [Garvey] cautioned. “It’s not Bill and Sue getting into a fight on Thursday, then meeting with us the next day to call it quits. The Weekend Divorce is for couples who have thoughtfully agreed that their marriage has run its course.”

A pivotal document that guides couples, in advance of The Weekend Divorce, is a financial checklist in which they gather copies of statements ranging from tax returns, paycheck stubs, bank accounts and life insurance policies to mortgages, automobile debt and real estate appraisals. That paperwork must be furnished to the attorneys at least 10 days before The Weekend Divorce session.

Of course, this quick divorce is not appropriate for every couple, but it is an option for Florida couples who have decided that they do not want to fight and let things drag out in court.

If you have questions regarding a divorce in a weekend or other Tampa Bay collaborative family law options, schedule a consultation with The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., at (813) 443-0615 or fill out our contact form.

Adam B. Cordover is President of Next Generation Divorce and a member of the Leadership Academy of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.