Family/Collaborative Law

Collaborative Law

Family law includes adoption, child custody, divorce, guardianship, support of children and spouses, paternity, and child visitation matters. This is one of the most delicate areas of the law dealing directly with most sensitive family issues.

Care is taken by this firm to understand the necessity for representation, the objectives of the client and the relationship of those objectives to the law. We carefully consult with our clients in an effort to set appropriate expectations and to explain the effects of the law on their goals. We endeavor to accomplish a fair and reasonable resolution to our client’s problem and desires. Going it alone in this area of the law can be devastating for years to come. Seek competent legal advice whenever family issues arise.

One of the ways attorney Hyde accomplishes fair and reasonable resolutions to family related matters is his use of Collaborative Law. The new and long overdue methodology in resolving problems is sweeping the country. It consists of the opponents in a dispute such as a divorce, custody issue, support or visitation situation, agreeing not to resort to court action. The parties and their counsel sign an agreement that restricts them from involving the court system until an agreement/resolution has been reached. If a party chooses to stop the collaborative process and resort to the judicial system, neither lawyer and none of the information gained during the collaborative process can be used in court unless gathered by new counsel within standard court practices and procedures. This minimizes the potential for misuse of the process and encourages participants to resolve their issues instead of a judge doing it for them.

If you want or need a relationship of some sort with the opposing party after the issues are resolved, this is the process you want to employ.