Contested Divorce, Which May Require Litigation: At times there are some significant disagreements as to the important issues, including valuation and division of assets, and the clients’ relationships with their children. When judicial intervention becomes necessary to achieve the best possible outcome, then we assist the client in pursuing litigation. Our firm is focused on protecting our clients’ dignity throughout the divorce process. We are especially serious about our clients’ relationships with their children. When parents cannot come to an agreement on their own or through attorneys, litigation may be necessary. Unnecessarily highly contested divorces, however, run the risk of putting children in the middle of disputes.
At the Law Office of Mary E. Jones, we share the Texas court’s focus on the best interests of the child and are committed to shielding children from bitter custody battles between their parents if at all possible.
Contested Divorce, Which May Not Require Litigation: Not every disputed case requires litigation for resolution. It is not uncommon in cases that are initially “hotly” contested, for the parties to find common ground and the emotional resources they need to resolve the case outside of the courtroom. Having the benefit of an experienced family law attorney can assist you and your spouse in reaching an informal settlement agreement, with the participation of the clients and their attorneys. An experienced family law attorney can help you define your goals, and ease the communications between you and your spouse to promote understanding and settlement.
At times, the parties and their attorneys are successful in many, but not all of the disputes in a particular case. In this situation many cases are eventually settled in a formal mediation. Mediation utilizes an impartial third party who serves as a mediator in assisting the parties in reaching joint decisions. Mediation can be based on the parties’ agreement or as a requirement of the court. Reaching a settlement through the mediation process is usually more efficient (time and cost) than a court trial, and provides the parties an opportunity to create settlements that more likely reflect their own decisions and desires for themselves and their family that might not otherwise be available through a court trial. Research has shown that parties are more likely to abide by their jointly crafted agreements reached in mediation in future years, than those decided by a court.
