You and your spouse are both physicians, so you have a substantial number of assets to divide. One of your major concerns has been that Georgia is an equitable distribution state. You were hoping to get a fair split of your assets, but you know that your spouse is going to fight for more than you believe they should get.
Before this turns into a major conflict, you should know that there are a few ways to resolve issues regarding your assets. You may be able to use mediation, arbitration or work collaboratively to divide your assets. You may also be able to litigate, depending on the complexity of the case and if you truly need a judge to step in.
Many divorce attorneys will tell you that going to court and litigating is a situation in which you’ll lose more control. That’s why many suggest trying to negotiate between yourselves, by working with your attorneys or by using mediation or arbitration. Conflict resolution options can assist you if you do get to a point where you can’t decide how to divide your assets or if you have one or two assets that you’re unsure of how to divide.
In most divorce cases, litigation is the last opportunity to resolve a problem. For most people, their divorce concerns are resolved well before that point.
Why would you want to avoid litigating?
It’s smart to avoid litigating because it:
- Costs more money than going through mediation or arbitration, in most cases
- Takes longer than if you went to mediation or arbitration (or if you split your assets on your own)
- Is public. Divorce proceedings are public, so anyone can see how your assets are divided, in most cases
If you want to maintain your privacy and to avoid spending more than you have to, it is a good idea to talk to your attorney about alternative dispute resolution options that they can assist you with. Although you may have a conflict at the moment, these other methods may be able to work for you and help resolve that conflict out of court.
