"Kitchen Table” Settlements
This settlement method is simple. The individuals involved sit down “at the kitchen table” and work out an arrangement that satisfies each of them. The agreement can be taken to a lawyer to be put into legal form, or used to complete do-it-yourself divorce forms.
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Do-it-Yourself Divorce
Bookstores and on-line resources sell forms that can be used to handle a divorce without attorneys. Forms may also be available at local law libraries. for more info . . .

Non-Lawyer Mediation
Mediation is assisted settlement negotiation. Mediators don’t take sides, and are used for the sole purpose of trying to help people reach a settlement. Some mediators will work with clients when neither person is represented by a lawyer. Mediators help the parties identify issues and options, and help them reach agreements. for more info . . .

Lawyer-Assisted Mediation
Mediation is assisted settlement negotiation. Mediators don’t take sides, and are used for the sole purpose of trying to help people reach a settlement. Mediation in which lawyers represent both people is generally part of the litigation process. In most cases, the parties are required to try to settle their case through mediation before they go to court for trial. for more info . . .

Litigation
In litigation, decisions are made for the parties by a judge, or sometimes a jury. There are very strict rules about what information may be presented to the decision-maker, who may have never seen the parties before, and who will never see them again. for more info . . .

Collaborative Law
Collaborative Law is a relatively new system of dispute resolution in which the parties and their lawyers agree in advance that no one will take any contested issue to court. The group, which often includes mental-health and financial professionals, focuses all their attention on finding ways to restructure a family so that everyone involved gets their needs met to the greatest extend possible. for more info . . .