Divorce can be messy. It can be fraught with emotions. It can be a long process involving contentious legal battles that may or may not result in an outcome that is favorable to you. If children are involved, it can be even more difficult, as the person that you are engaging with will continue to have a role in your life in the months and years after the divorce is finalized.
Still, the dissolution of a marriage, while often emotionally challenging, does not necessarily have to be a contentious legal battle. An “amicable divorce,” where both parties collaborate to reach mutual agreements, can significantly reduce the emotional and mental strain typically associated with divorce proceedings.
From a legal standpoint, this approach also offers a more streamlined and efficient resolution. But from a long term emotional standpoint, the benefits can be even more pronounced.
The Long Term Legal Advantages of Amicable Divorce
Amicable divorces that move forward with divorce mediation, rather than competing divorce lawyers, already have legal advantages – many of which will continue to offer benefits for years, or even decades. Some of these include, but are not limited to:
- Reduced Litigation Costs – Amicable divorces often avoid lengthy court battles, leading to substantially lower legal fees. By agreeing on terms outside of court, couples can allocate their resources more effectively, perhaps towards future needs like children’s education or individual financial stability. These reduced litigation costs typically lead to less burden on families that are looking to re-learn to manage their finances.
- Speedier Resolution – When parties work together, the process generally moves faster than contentious litigation. This quicker resolution allows both individuals to move forward with their lives sooner, reducing prolonged stress and uncertainty. This allows people to re-learn their day to day life sooner, rather than allow the process to drag on indefinitely.
- Control Over Outcomes – In amicable divorces, couples retain more control over their settlements. Rather than leaving decisions up to a judge, parties can use a divorce lawyer specializing in divorce mediation to negotiate terms that best suit their unique circumstances, leading to more personalized outcomes that can offer better control over each party’s assets and finances in the future.
- Privacy Preservation – Litigation often puts personal matters into public record. Amicable divorces, especially those settled outside of court, allow for greater privacy and discretion regarding personal and financial matters. This means that your agreements and information are less likely to affect you when it comes to your online footprint.
These are only a few of the many legal advantages of an amicable divorce through divorce mediation, and why there may, for some parties, be legal advantages to moving forward with the divorce on good terms.
The Emotional and Mental Health Benefits of Amicable Divorce
Every situation is different, and only an experienced psychologist can truly assess what the best approach is to divorcing on good terms. But an amicable divorce that utilizes divorce mediation may offer long term advantages that include:
- Reduced Emotional Stress – Litigious divorces can be emotionally draining. An amicable approach tends to be less adversarial, thereby reducing the emotional toll on both parties. This is particularly beneficial in maintaining mental well-being throughout the process.
- Better Post-Divorce Relationship – For couples with children or intertwined social and professional networks, maintaining a cordial relationship post-divorce is often desirable. An amicable divorce sets a foundation for a healthier ongoing relationship, which is essential for co-parenting and mutual social interactions.
- Mitigating Impact on Children – Amicable divorces usually result in less conflict and a more stable environment for children involved. Children are less likely to witness contentious exchanges and legal battles, which can significantly impact their mental and emotional health.
- Closure and Personal Growth – Amicable resolutions can provide a sense of closure and empowerment. Parties often feel they have actively contributed to the outcomes, facilitating a more positive transition into post-divorce life.
After a divorce is finalized, both parties will still be holding on to some of their memories and emotions. When there are children or long term shared assets involved, the need for an amicable resolution can be even greater and the benefits of obtaining this type of resolution more pronounced.
Moving Forward in Life with Divorce Mediation
An amicable divorce represents a collaborative, respectful approach to ending a marriage. It holds significant benefits in reducing legal complexities, costs, and emotional distress – many of which are likely to continue to offer benefits in the long term.
Long after a divorce is resolved, a person will still hold onto memories, or share parenting, or engage in other activities that bring the other party to mind. Choosing a solution to divorce that is more likely to have a positive long term outcome may be highly advantageous to not only your finances and legal frameworks, but potentially your long term health and happiness as well.
Achieving this may require a combination of approaches – not only contacting a divorce lawyer on Long Island, but possibly integrating other experts as well such as couples counselors and spiritual support. But a desire to achieve this type of marriage dissolution is one that could potentially have many benefits that a couple should consider as they decide what to do next.