Collaborative law or collaborative divorce is an alternative to the traditional divorce process in the court system—it is a process in which spouses hire attorneys to help dissolve the marriage by resolving differences through agreement rather than by litigation in court.

In collaborative law, the spouses try to come to agreements on the division of property, spousal support payments, child support payments, and child custody schedules—rather than the judge making these decisions by court order. Collaborative law is designed to reduce some of the more confrontational, destructive conflict in the divorce litigation process, while offering the spouses greater privacy and confidentiality in their personal lives.

The characteristic elements of collaborative law include:

• a written agreement signed by the spouses and their lawyers that no one will use or threaten to use the court process during the collaborative process

• each spouse has a lawyer and actively participates in all negotiations

• financial and other experts are retained jointly and are prohibited from working for the spouses if the spouses decide to use the litigation process

• neither lawyer can participate in any litigation against the other spouse after working as a collaborative lawyer on the matter

• the lawyers are terminated (“fired”) if the spouses decide to use the litigation process

Many states have laws that define the collaborative law process and give effect to the agreements made by the spouses. These laws are generally located in the state’s statutes—often in the family or domestic relations code.

In West Virginia, collaborative law is recognized as an alternative to traditional divorce litigation. This process involves both spouses hiring attorneys specifically trained in collaborative law to negotiate and resolve issues such as property division, spousal support, child support, and child custody without going to court. The key elements of collaborative law in WV include a participation agreement that both spouses and their attorneys sign, committing to resolve matters outside of court; the use of joint experts for financial or other advice; and the understanding that if either spouse decides to go to court, the collaborative attorneys must withdraw from the case and cannot represent the spouses in subsequent litigation. West Virginia's approach to collaborative law aims to foster a cooperative environment, reduce conflict, and maintain the privacy of the individuals involved. While specific statutes may not be in place detailing the collaborative law process, the principles are generally upheld by the legal community and can be integrated into the divorce process with the agreement of both parties.