Collaborative Law Solves Dispute Over Adult Child.
Recently, I had a couple seeking a divorce and wanting to handle their disputes using the Collaborative Law Approach. Simply put, “Collaborative Family Law” is an effective, pre-lawsuit team effort to resolve family law issues where the attorneys and spouses agree that the lawyers will not litigate, and the lawyers and other engaged professionals (mental health & financial) are trained to work together to solve the problems raised by the dissolution.
They had been married about thirty years and both had careers that had generated savings in addition to paying for a nice lifestyle. The wife had a service business with substantial cash and the husband had a furniture business with both cash and inventory. They owned a commercial building, a home, and a vacation home. We were quick to agree on what property needed to be appraised; once values were agreed upon, a property division was achieved. But this dissolution had an unusual problem. The parties’ only son was in his twenties and he was troubled by repeated bouts of drug addiction. The Family Courts generally do not provides remedies for the problems of dealing with adult children. The acrimony and blame over their son was blocking a resolution to long term family peace. They did share an unfaltering love for their son, which lent itself to using the Collaborative Law Approach.
Nurtured in the friendly atmosphere of Collaboration, with lawyers trained to bring about amicable resolutions, the parents dealt with:
- Continuing financial support
- Continuing treatment.
- Professional consultation.
- Providing safe shelter, and
- Providing response to calls for “help.”
Mental health professionals opinions were obtained and considered. Driven by their common love for their adult child, the parents used the Collaborative Law Approach to achieve a successful resolution. If you have questions or concerns about Collaborative Family Law in the Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida area, call Kim Douglas Sherman, Esquire, at (954) 489-9500.
