Family Law Bristol
Not all divorce and child custody cases need to end up in court. With various different approaches to settling these matters, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) can help people to avoid the need for a court hearing.
Throughout England and Wales, and across the rest of the European Union, ADR methods are becoming a more popular way to resolve Family Law issues, with more and more solicitors trained in these new techniques and processes, and Family Law practices encouraging their clients to consider these alternatives to the traditional approach.
Apart from the obvious benefit of not having to go through an emotional and stressful court hearing, Alternative Dispute Resolution has several other advantages, including:
- Less expense – In general, choosing ADR will reduce the amount of money you need to spend on legal costs, and it is typically a less expensive way of settling your Family Law dispute.
- Quicker – Because ADR relies on the individuals making decisions, not the court, using ADR techniques can often lead to a much quicker resolution
- More Civilised – With a commitment to avoiding the adversarial court room environment, and specially trained solicitors to make sure the process stays on track, ADR represents a much more civil way to settle your Family Law dispute.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Processes
There are a number of different forms of ADR, but two of the most common are:
Mediation – This process involves the couple being guided to a resolution by a professional Mediator. Click on the link for more information on Mediation.
Collaborative Family Law – Specially trained Family Law solicitors represent each party, who make a commitment to resolve their issue without going to court. Through a series of face to face meetings the parties aim to reach a suitable agreement. Follow the link to find out more about Collaborative Family Law.
More and more clients are choosing methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution to settle Family Law issues. In fact, since the beginning of April 2011, individuals will not (except in special circumstances) be able to make an application to family court unless they can show they have explored the potential for mediation to help them solve their problem.
Our Family Law Bristol office has a number of solicitors who have been trained in Alternative Dispute Resolution. They will be able to advise whether this approach is appropriate for your situation, and guide you through the process.