It’s hard enough to end a marriage. Divorce cases that go to court produce an adversarial situation where there are no winners. Children can be permanently impacted by the divorce process, and divorce can also take a toll on your pocketbook and your reputation.
Divorce can even threaten future opportunities for you – including jobs or community volunteer positions. The more of your divorce proceedings go before a judge, the higher the likelihood that details of your private life will be part of the public record. Mediated divorces, and those using the collaborative law process, protect your privacy. Only required documents will be filed with the court, leaving your agreement out of the public eye and your privacy intact.
Divorce Litigation And The Public Record
In many American states, including Washington, anyone can order a copy of your divorce filings and read them. Employers performing a pre-employment background check, for example, could review your divorce records and see allegations that your ex made about your behavior. They may NOT see evidence contradicting the claims. Or the court record could contain the addresses, names and ages of your children, along with the details of your custody-sharing plan.
In divorce litigation, it is important to work with your attorney to minimize the release of confidential information such as children’s names, allegations of abuse, sensitive health information or the financial details of your business.
Collaborative Law and Mediation Keeps Your Divorce Out Of Court
An experienced Washington State divorce attorney can help you with a collaborative law or mediated divorce. The collaborative divorce process, can be particularly effective at lowering tensions. In a collaborative divorce, you will work with your attorney and experts in finance, property valuation, child psychology, family dynamics and parenting time to reach divorce agreements.
If you’re able to handle most or all aspects of the divorce through collaborative law, then your private information should remain private. You’ll be able to face the future with confidence, without lingering worries about what your divorce documentation might tell others about your past.