A Free Divorce Handbook

Having already written two books describing and illustrating the differences between the traditional courtroom divorce and the collaborative approach to dissolving a marriage, in A Free Divorce Handbook, Joryn Jenkins, a 35-year veteran attorney, has now turned her hand to exploring the issues raised and the problems addressed when a busy professional launches a collaborative divorce pro bono project. Having spent the last three years undertaking such a venture from scratch, she now shares the stories of her clients, the processes and procedures necessary to ensure success, and the forms and sample documents created by the project's collaborative teams so that you don't have to. Finally, a book that explains, not just the many reasons why such a project makes sense, but also how to establish such a collaborative services organization, one step at a time.

Since its first publication in 1982, The Divorce Handbook has sold over 200,000 copies. In this new and fully revised edition, specialist in family law James T. Friedman covers, in an easy-to-use question-and-answer format, all the issues involved in negotiating a separation and divorce--how to choose a lawyer; how to arrange child custody, support, and visitation; how to prevent financial hide-and-seek; what to expect of the divorce proceedings themselves; and what to do if the divorce goes to trial. This revised edition addresses current trends in such areas as divorce law, alimony, property division, shared parenting, and visitation; it includes an expanded section of checklists, schedules, and guides for reconciliation and child support, as well as attorney retainer agreements, asset/liability worksheets, and more. The American Bar Association has called The Divorce Handbook "a welcome breath of fresh air in an otherwise stifling atmosphere created by a virtual avalanche of books about divorce." The revised edition of The Divorce Handbook is your best guide through the traumatic and painful business of divorce, and will be an essential resource for years to come.

Forrest S. Mosten Collaborative Divorce Handbook Helping families without going to court Praise for Collaborative Divorce Handbook "There are many roads to peace. Whether you engage in collaborative practice, which by definition includes the provision that professionals will not represent the parties in litigation, or some other process for respectful conflict resolution, you will find Collaborative Divorce Handbook to be an invaluable resource for deepening your understanding and enhancing your skills as a peacemaker." Talia L. Katz, JD, executive director, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals "Collaborative lawyering is a promising new way of resolving disputes through joint problem solving rather than adversary litigation that has particular appeal for divorce cases. Whether you are a client who seeks to learn more about it or a lawyer using it who desires a wise guiding hand, this book is an invaluable resource." Frank E. A. Sander, Bussey Professor Emeritus, Harvard Law School "Written by one of the innovative thinkers in the field, Collaborative Divorce Handbook is a treasure of information for all professionals interested in collaborative divorce. Easy to read, expansive, and chock-full of resources, it is bound to become a classic." Constance Ahrons, PhD, author, The Good Divorce and We're Still Family, and professor emerita, University of Southern California "Family law is changing. As more people realize that the adversarial process is expensive, degrading, and stressful, they look for alternatives and find it in various forms of alternative dispute resolution. Woody Mosten is the nationally recognized leader of this movement, and his book on collaborative practice literally will be 'The Handbook' we will all follow." Garrett C. Dailey, Esq., CFLS, AAML, president, Attorney's BriefCase, Inc.

This completely revised and updated fifth edition of the award-winning Divorce with Decency includes the most current research, statistics, and insights on the effects of divorce on spouses, their children, and society over­all. Written by a prominent divorce lawyer with four decades of experience, it is the most comprehensive treatment of the legal, emotion­al, economic, psychological, and social aspects of romantic relationships, marriage and divorce available anywhere in a single volume. Initial sections look at the dynamics of divorce: the causal factors, the common “stages” from initial separation onward, and the complications surrounding each stage for older and younger couples and children. Important information on spouse abuse is also included. The book dis­cusses key criteria in selecting an attorney and gives expert advice on directing and monitoring the course of a case efficiently and economical­ly. Detailed background on critical legal issues is given, followed by case histories highlighting key points of divorce law. Extensive new sec­tions have been added to this edition which provide key tips on preserving, improving, and possibly “saving” marriages. Key chapters focus on post-divorce issues of single parenthood and new relationships; as well as the rapidly changing nature of love, romance, “digital dating,” and other topics in this modern New Millennium. Informative yet highly readable (and occasionally amusing), Divorce with Decency has proven to be indispensable to anyone involved in a divorce, whether directly or indirectly.

A comprehensive guide to divorce provides practical information regarding the dissolution of a marriage, discussing lawyers, legal fees, child custody, alimony and monetary settlements, court procedures, and discovery

Joryn Jenkins, a 36-year trial attorney and now dedicated peacemaker, and the author of War or Peace: Avoid the Destruction of Divorce, I Never Saw My Father Again: The Divorce Court Effect, and A Free Divorce Handbook: Organizing a Collaborative Divorce Pro Bono Project, now offers this staff management handbook that will guide collaborative professionals in creating or improving their businesses.As a collaborative divorce professional, you want to ensure that your clients experience the best divorce possible. To do that, you must proactively design your office's physical space, your policies and procedures, and your team culture to reflect your vision and your passion, to enable clients to achieve what many see as impossible - divorce with dignity, a conclusion to a marriage that serves as a positive and healthy step toward a restructured family's future. Every collaborative services business, no matter the size, no matter whether legal, mental health, or financial, must have standards. Establishing your own policies and procedures will help your business run more smoothly- especially when you can't be there. More importantly, if you offer collaborative divorce services, your staff must understand the attitude and the ambiance that must travel with those services. Your space must reflect the collaborative process, as well, cocooning your clients in an inspirational atmosphere that will empower them to make the right decisions for their families. This book will help you to equip your staffers to talk-the-talk and to walk-the-walk, ensuring that your team's culture, your office policies and procedures, and your space's infrastructure all project the same enthusiasm for collaborative practice as you yourself do.

"Once I pay alimony and child support, I won’t have enough to live on. How can I reduce it?” "My 16 year old refuses to visit her father. Am I going to be in contempt of court if I don’t make her go?” Brette McWhorter Sember, a retired divorce attorney and a widely-published author on the subject, answers hundreds of questions like these in simple layman’s terms--covering everything from living under a separation agreement to dividing assets and debts. Looking at divorce from all angles--legal, social, psychological, and financial--this is a resource that speaks to everyone, from those just starting to contemplate breaking up a marriage, to those trying to renegotiate an unsatisfactory financial settlement.