A Practical and Thorough Review of the ADR Options in Family Law

 

This text, now in its fifth edition, is a must have for family law lawyers and other professionals dealing with families facing separation and divorce, including mental health professionals, financial specialists, clergy, educators and judges. Less than 2% of families resolve their family law issues in court, so they need alternative processes that encourage cooperative, timely and cost effective resolutions: this book discusses each of these processes in depth and helps family law professionals and their clients choose which process is best for them.    

 

These processes aim to:

 

·         Position parties as collaborators instead of adversaries

·         Give parties control to create their own process and results

·         Significantly reduce time and cost of litigation

 

Discover how and when to implement four new processes:

 

·         Arbitration, in which parties delegate decision making to a professional of their choice, while preserving certain appeal rights

·         Mediation–arbitration, where a mediator can become an arbitrator for unresolved issues

·         Custody assessment, in which a mental health professional makes a custody recommendation to the parties and/or a judge

·         Parenting coordination, that allows a mental health professional to decide day-to-day issues for high-conflict couples following an agreement, order, or award

 

This edition includes the latest developments in mediation and collaborative practice, and a chapter on the Rules of Professional Conduct for mediators, collaborative lawyers, and arbitrators. Coverage also includes the critical topic of Domestic Violence and Screening. 

 

The book also provides extensive samples and precedents of every process that is discussed.

Appendices and CD-ROM include:

 

·         Sample arbitration and mediation agreements

·         Collaborative lawyer retainer agreements

·         Parenting coordinator agreements

·         Client questionnaires

·         Domestic violence screening questionnaires

·         Many precedents and documents drafted by leading family professionals

 

A Multidisciplinary Resource For

• Family lawyers who participate in any ADR practice and advise separating couples to resolve issues without an adversarial court battle
•  Mediators/arbitrators who wish to learn about the new collaborative models in which they can participate
•  Mental health professionals, including social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists, who are interested in becoming custody assessors and parenting coordinators
• ADR and family law students learning about the current range of collaborative law options