Divorce attorneys in Tennessee know from experience that divorces are rarely simple. With so many different connections between spouses, especially in long-term marriages, it can be hard to create a quick and clean disconnect for a couple. That is why some experts at a recent seminar discussed how to handle a basic divorce, which is rarely as described.

When a potential client contacts a lawyer, several different routes should be discussed as possibilities for the divorce process. The typically envisioned divorce involves litigation. This can result in high tension between divorcing spouses as they determine who gets what in front of a judge, both with attorneys in tow. However, collaborative divorce and mediation are two other options.

In collaborative divorce, both parties and their lawyers agree to create a settlement from the beginning. They meet together and, if they can reach an agreement, a judge signs it and the divorce is finalized. If they cannot compromise enough to reach an adequate settlement, the spouses will have to hire new attorneys for litigation.

Divorce mediation involves both spouses and several experts, including lawyers, financial advisers and mental health experts. While some cases call for the expertise of some specialists more often than others, the gist of mediation is that an agreement is created amicably with a disinterested party serving as the mediator.

Many financial and emotional costs can be avoided by implementing procedures that do not involve litigation.

Regardless of which route you take, be sure to understand that the process may take some time, especially if children or a considerable amount of assets are involved.

Child custody determinations are often the most heated portion of a divorce proceeding because many parents feel as if their children are the most important thing in the world. This perspective can cause emotional hurt to all parties involved if things do not go well.

Source: State Bar of Wisconsin, "Handling a Basic Divorce: Family Law Practitioners Give Practical Advice," Joe Forward, July 5, 2012