Settling Down: Alternative Dispute Resolution Options

When most people think about divorce, they imagine a couple incessantly bickering over a million and one items that once held their marriage together. The reality is that divorce doesn’t have to be handled with hostility. Many men are surprised to learn about the alternative dispute resolution options available, which we’ll detail here:

  1. Arbitration. Arbitration is a dispute resolution method that brings in a third party to act as a decision maker and complete the case. This third party is ideally a lawyer neutral to either disputing party, and agrees to hear out both sides of an argument, weighing the issues presented.
  2. Mediation. Mediation is similar in many ways to arbitration. The primary difference is that the neutral third party in mediation serves more as a guide to the negotiation process, as opposed to a decision-maker. The third-party is mainly present to help the disputing parties come to an agreement wherein both sides are agreed.
  3. Collaborative Divorce. With collaborative divorce, there is a greater emphasis on the husband and wife interacting directly to resolve their case. Both parties would typically have their own attorney.

Mediation is the most common approach of the three alternative dispute resolution options. As divorce becomes more commonplace, a higher number of couples strive to achieve dispute resolution without showing teeth, leading them to work through the mediation process in hopes of keeping the split amicable and manageable, both financially and emotionally.

All in all, the continued increase in popularity of alternative dispute resolution tells us that people are starting to look at divorce through a much different lens. Although the end to a marriage is rarely completely positive, who says it has to become a blowout?

If you’re interested in alternative dispute resolution methods, feel free to contact any of the capable and understanding attorneys at ADAM.

About ADAM (American Divorce Association for Men)

The American Divorce Association for Men (ADAM) is a group of highly qualified attorneys who advocate for men’s rights in divorce, child custody and parenting time, paternity, support, property settlement, post judgment modifications, and other family law matters. Since 1988, ADAM has been aggressive, diligent, and uncompromising when representing their clients. A
team of compassionate and skilled family law attorneys, ADAM is dedicated to being Michigan’s leading divorce attorneys for men and practices a policy of integrity in all dealings.