Divorce Corp. Reviews Point to Collaboration
Recently, the internet has been abuzz with talk of the controversial new American documentary, Divorce Corp. The film describes itself as a documentary about the U.S. family law industry and while up here in Canada, the film hasn’t been screening, a quick look at the trailer and at what reviewers have to say gives us a pretty good idea of the film’s message: families are having negative experiences with the U.S. family court system. Even though the film isn’t based on the Canadian legal system, as we’ve been reading reviews, we’ve been struck by two ideas that definitely cross the border.
People are scared of being taken advantage of during a divorce
When a family is going through a separation, it is common for individuals to feel scared or nervous about their future. They rely on the legal system to decide the outcome of their separation and aren’t always given the chance to understand what each resolution means or how much their divorce will cost. This can lead to individuals feeling like they are being taken advantage of.
Unfortunately, some families have had bad experiences and go through litigation feeling like they have no control over what happens to them or to their family as the cost of the process continues to climb. The divorce might take a lot longer than they anticipated it would and might cost more than they had planned on spending. The premise of Divorce Corp. focuses on this situation and although the film seems to highlight extreme examples, we all likely know at least one family that would say they felt these pressures during their divorce.
This story is common, but doesn’t have to be.
People don’t always know that there are options
One lawyer started her review of Divorce Corp. by saying, “Some movies just cry out for a sequel.” Illinois lawyer, Sandra Crawford, had a lot to say about the film, but what we’re most interested in is her conclusion. She notes that while the film chooses to focus only on family litigation horror stories, she also suggests that separating couples should seriously consider alternative legal methods like Collaborative Practice. Learning about options is, in her opinion, what is missing from the film.
Yes, Crawford is a lawyer that practices collaborative family law, but she isn’t the only person commenting that out of court legal methods could be a solution to the film’s concerns. Diana Mercer from the Huffington Post writes, “You don’t have to opt into the litigation system. You don’t have to roll the dice on the judge you’re assigned to, the custody evaluator appointed, and having to pay fees upon fees. You can opt out. And it’s not difficult to opt out. There are lots of choices.”
One option that we are obviously supportive of is Collaborative Practice. This method involves each person hiring a lawyer and working together, sometimes with the help of family and financial professionals, to come to a resolution both parties agree to. The clients remain in complete control of the process and get to choose exactly how their family will proceed from the separation.
If you would like to learn more, please visit What is Collaborative Practice? or get in touch with a collaborative professional near you. You may also find some helpful information in our News and Resources.
