How long will my case take?
§ The majority of Collaborative cases
are completed in eight months or less.
How much will it cost?
§ If the Collaborative process is
broken down by profession, the average cost in Bucks County for the lawyers is
approximately $10,500, the average cost for the financial professional is
approximately $2,500, and the average cost for the mental health professional
is approximately $2,000. This is a total
cost (not cost per person) of
$15,000. The average cost of a
litigated divorce is double this amount.
The cost is determined on a case by case basis because some cases do not
require use of all of these professionals.
Not surprisingly, cases involving children usually cost more than cases
without children involved.
How many meetings will I need to
attend?
§ Almost all Collaborative cases
involve two or three face-to-face meetings between both clients and the
necessary professionals, but it is more common for cases to involve six or
seven of these meetings. On average
these meetings usually last between two and three hours.
How likely is it that my case will
settle in the Collaborative process?
§ According to the findings of the IACP
Research Committee, 86% of all reported Collaborative cases reached a
settlement agreement on all issues. Even
in cases where the parties cannot agree on all of the issues, it is not
uncommon for the parties to reach a partial Collaborative agreement.
