Everything you wanted to know about a mutual divorce agreement
A mutual divorce agreement settles every issue involved in the couple’s separation. It is meant to bring the conflict between the spouses to an end and close out the marriage, while resolving the division of property, custody and visitation arrangements, and support.
Keeping the relationship civil through a divorce
Once the couple has worked out a divorce agreement by mutual consent, they must bring it to the Family Court or the rabbinical court for approval. As most people know all too well, divorce disputes can turn ugly and do lasting harm to the children. Signing an agreed divorce settlement can be decisive for how everyone involved moves on with their lives, and for the chance of keeping the relationship civil afterward. A mutual divorce agreement makes it possible to separate with mutual respect and on good terms, with both parties putting the children’s best interests at the center.
Divorce by consent and with dignity
Many of us have seen divorce proceedings that started with a boilerplate divorce agreement and escalated into a bitter, painful legal battle in the rabbinical court or in court. That is the trouble with a boilerplate agreement: it does not truly settle the separation by consent. A mutual divorce agreement should be worked out with a lawyer and mediator such as Adv. Avital Horef, so the couple reaches understandings in advance about how they will keep cooperating even after the divorce. Once the mutual divorce agreement is signed, it is submitted to the court for approval only to give it legal force.
Reopening a divorce agreement
A mutual divorce agreement addresses education, support, division of property, and more. Reopening a divorce agreement is requested by a spouse who is no longer satisfied with the existing arrangement. Perhaps the support amount no longer covers the children’s needs, or has become too heavy a burden on the payer’s income. Another issue that commonly prompts a request to reopen a divorce agreement concerns parenting time and custody of the children.
A mutual divorce agreement with an experienced mediator
A divorce agreement by mutual consent is the best way through a divorce whenever it is possible. It is worth going through the process by agreeing on one lawyer to guide both former spouses through the proceeding. Adv. Avital Horef is an expert in family law with extensive knowledge in drafting contracts, and as an expert mediator has all the tools to lead you through a divorce by consent successfully, while preserving the dignity of everyone involved.
