Divorce Without Court: A Guide to Mediation & Collaborative Divorce,   ISBN:9781413310320

Customer Rating: 

If you are facing a divorce this book is a lifesaver. It is filled with information, good information that will keep you sane. Perhaps even more important is the fact that it deals with getting your soon-to-be-ex to work with you whatever their emotional state in the divorce. No divorce is easy but but doesn't have to be punishing, overly costly, and brutal. This book is packed with legal direction, various approaches to collaboration which you choose based on your particular situation, how to communicate with the person you are divorcing. This book teaches you that divorce doesn't have to be a winner/loser battle. It lays out the price of divorce war where the only winner is the lawyer. Most importantly it leaves the family with enough cohesiveness to remain a parenting couple even if you aren't a married couple. There are lots of resources for each state.

My lawyer pointed out what he felt was a hole in the approach. He said that if you hire two lawyers who agree to work together in a collaborative way and then to have them sign an agreement to step down from your case if a solution isn't reached and it has to go to court is unwise. He said you would then be hiring new lawyers who hadn't worked with you and hadn't spent time with your background. That seems to be a good point but it is not a criticism of the book but only a part of the approach proposed by the book. Mediation and collaboration in the way to go and this book is as good as it gets when taking that approach to your divorce.

Customer Rating: 

I am happily married so this book was rather unusual to read. I do have a friend going through a divorce and was able to very delicately ask for opinions about the information presented within.

I hope I never need the info this book contains but those who do are likely to find a great deal of usable information. Nolo guides are very thorough resources and I have used several previously.

This type of book should not be used as a way to get around lawyer costs. For something this important and complex I think it is vital to hire a professional. This book provides an excellent supplementation.

Customer Rating: 

At the conclusion of your divorce do you want to take a nice vacation or send your lawyers on one? Every dollar spent bickering in court over who gets what is a dollar wasted. This book provides a nice easy to read framework for working out a settlement out of court collaboratively. Follow this and save literally thousands of dollars in attorney fees.

Customer Rating: 

In case you've never been involved in an adversarial divorce, it is the most expensive activity you can be involved in. Lawyers charge $400 or more per hour in 0.25 hour increments. So called "forensic accountants" (most of whom could not properly calculate the correct tip for a dinner check) will charge you more than the lawyers will. The divorce industry is a huge one. If you want other people to end up with your money (instead of you and your soon to be ex-spouse), go the route of an adversarial divorce.

If you can maintain some sanity during this very stressful period, a nonadversarial, mediated divorce is the way to go. How much you save will depend on how much you have. But it will definitely be substantial.

This book is a good starting point for a nonadversarial divorce. This book is a very well organized overview of the collaberation and mediation process. There's not a lot of advice on financial issues, especially complicated cases. You will need to seek out other sources for dealing with this.

The sad truth of the matter is that well over half of all marriages end in divorce. There are way too many millionaire divorce lawyers and accountants out there. Save yourself a lot of money. Be reasonable to each other and do it yourself. At least you'll be left with some cash to start the next chapter of your life.

This book is another excellent product of the NOLO series. I've reviewed several of these books on various topics, and have read several others. They always deliver what they promise and I've never been disappointed.

Customer Rating: 

This book has a nice compilation of advice for those who are attempting a collaborative divorce. This book discusses both uncontested and contested divorces. I especially liked page 8 which has a simplified chart of the situation you are in and what chapter in the book you should start on.

I agree with other reviewers that this book is not exhaustive of the legal information needed for any divorce, but it's a helpful addition. Make sure to visit your state's government web site for information on the specific laws in your state.