Hargrave Family Law

The basic difference between Collaborative Divorce and Mediation is that the Collaborative Process happens in “four-way” meetings. That is, each party, and each parties legal representation. Mediation happens in a “three-way” meeting. The two parties, and the mediator. While mediation may seem appealing if mediation doesn’t result in an agreement, there is a temptation to completely abandon the idea of coming to a mutually acceptable settlement. If so, your case could become highly contentious.

A collaborative divorce takes significantly less time than a contested divorce.

At a glance, a collaborative divorce allows couples who are beginning the divorce process to make commitments to each other that they’re going to work together to resolve the issues that need to be settled instead of going to court and litigating the issues in front of the judge.

Collaborative Divorce allows couples to agree together that they will not fight their divorce in divorce court. Instead, they work with their lawyers to resolve the issues that need to be decided in a series of structured meetings that are designed to help them settle their differences. The meetings last about 2 hours, and typically they will have 3-5 meetings scheduled over several weeks. The parties cannot go to court, unless they terminate the Collaborative Divorce process, and hire new attorneys. Mediation also allows couples to try and work out their differences with a neutral third party. In Texas, our mediation sessions usually last at least one full day. The mediator goes and back and forth between the parties (who are in separate rooms) to help people come to an agreement. However, if they don't settle, then they will go to court to have the judge rule on the issues they couldn't agree on

In the State of Texas,you should plan for it to take at least 60 days to get a divorce. While that is the shortest amount of time it will take to get a divorce, most divorces will take about 6-9 months before they can be finalized. Of course, there are divorce that can go on for years due to the level of conflict in the case.

The number one determining factor impacting the cost of the divorce is the level of conflict between the parties. Conflict costs money, and when lawyers get involved, it can easily cost a lot of money. If you are concerned about the costs of a divorce, make sure you talk with your lawyer at the beginning, so you can come with a plan to streamline the work that needs to be done. Turn in your paperwork on time, and respond to deadlines. The more work you can do on the front end, the less you will have to pay your legal team to get the work done.

Yes, we offer remote consultations. We are happy to meet with you over the phone, or via Zoom.

No. We have plenty of guest parking available at our office. Parking is located on the south and north side of the building.

The cost of the divorce depends primarily upon the level of conflict. If you and your partner are in agreement on most issues, you will substantially decrease the cost of the divorce. Most "simple divorces" can be done for $3500 to $5500, which includes filing fees. During your consultation, we will discuss with you the various options you have when it comes to resolving the issues. Most of our clients are great candidates for a cooperative or Collaborative Divorce, which provides methods to help you reach a resolution without going to court (which helps contain costs considerably). There is no way to predict exactly how much your divorce will cost at the beginning of the divorce. We work with our clients to help them make the best decisions throughout the divorce process, including decisions that impact the cost of a divorce.

Consultations with an attorney cost $350. However, you can speak to one of our team members to have a free case evaluation, in order to determine whether we are a good fit for your family law needs.