As some spouses in Tennessee become less and less happy with one another, it may eventually come time for divorce. Many people picture a divorce playing out as a high-stress courtroom situation. They picture a judge forced to pull each and every piece of information out of the feuding spouses. This is not always the case, though. Other options include collaborative divorce and divorce mediation.

In mediation, a jointly hired attorney acts as a mediator between the two parties. This mediator is not allowed to act biased toward one spouse, meaning this situation may not be best for divorces that involve a history of domestic violence. Amicable behavior between the spouses can allow mediation to work well. Couples can reach agreements in this manner regarding alimony, property division and parental rights at a low cost.

Proponents of collaborative divorce describe the experience as one where each spouse hires an attorney and the four individuals sign an agreement that ensures they will stick to certain rules. One of these rules is to reach a mutual agreement without heading to court. To do so, it may require the presence of accounting specialists or divorce coaches to make sure that communication is open.

But if the presence of a mediator is not enough to keep a couple from disputing, collaborative divorce might not be an option. If not, the costs of the divorce may increase exponentially as long as the case heads to court. Family litigation can be expensive and couples looking to minimize expenses should do their best to avoid it.

Source: Staten Island Live, "The new deal in divorce," Elise G. McIntosh, Jan. 3, 2012