Edward T. Buckle,
Attorney at Law

Practice Limited to Family Mediation and Collaborative Family Law

Member of the
Collaborative Family Law
Professionals

Mission
You are familiar with the psychological and financial gurus' major theme "Take control of your Life". This theme applies in a divorce proceeding as well. Too often we turn over the decision making process to someone totally unfamiliar with our circumstances, be it judge, doctor, or broker.

In a Collaborative Family Law or Mediation proceeding, the parties take back the decision making process. They work together to seek and implement options that not only benefit their children but also lessen the emotional, economic, and psychological impact of the separation and divorce.

Mediation
In a mediation setting parties meet with a neutral mediator who is trained in the process of bringing disputes to a negotiated settlement. The process begins in a neutral location outside of the judicial system. The proceedings are private and confidential. The mediator will not give legal advice to either party, but rather will maintain neutrality throughout the process.

Collaboration
In a collaborative proceeding each party has their own lawyer, one who is trained in this Non-Adversarial process. The four (4) way meetings are also held outside of the judicial system. Like mediation they are private and confidential. The Collaborative Family Lawyers are committed to the "no court" concept, but are always available for legal advice and consultation. If for any reason a court proceeding is initiated, the lawyers must withdraw. In this case, neither the Mediator nor the Collaborative Family Lawyers may be called as witnesses.

In either case be it Mediation or Collaboration, the underlying theme is "Taking Control of the Decision Making Process" through these Non-Adversarial proceedings.

Vision
Divorce like marriage is a legal transaction. It is NOT necessary to go to court to marry, and it is NOT necessary to go to court to divorce.

Divorce proceedings are engulfed in emotion and stress. Judges, lawyers, and others in the system unwittingly combine to increase the stress by adding to the emotional and economic impact inherent in divorce.

The real beneficiaries of Mediation and Collaboration are the children. In her recent book "We're Still Family", Constance Ahrons, Ph.D., noted that children thrive with parents WHO:

1. Are loving and supportive,
2. Leave their children out of conflict,
3. Remain involved with the children,
4. Respect the right of the children to have a relationship
. . with the other parent,
5. Are able to communicate with each other with regard
. . to the needs of the children.

In the Mediation and Collaboration process the parents will work together to establish a Unified Approach to parenting their children. Working together with other trained professionals such as Mental Health Professionals and Financial Experts, we can minimize the emotional and economic impact of divorce on the family members and make NO COURT DIVORCE a reality.

Click here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Collaborative Family Law.

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Edward T. Buckle
Attorney at Law
Mediation and Collaborative Family Law Center
87 North Chestnut Street
Ventura, CA 93001

(805) 653-2505
(805) 653-2760 Fax
etb93001@yahoo.com