After 10 years of marriage, Hollywood couple Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner announced they will be divorcing. The following joint statement was released on June 30, 2015, one day after they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary.
“After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce. We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time. This will be our only comment on this private family matter. Thank you for understanding.”
It was also announced that rather than litigating in divorce court, the couple has decided to use the services of a neutral divorce mediator to work out an agreement regarding custody issues and property division. Affleck and Garner will share joint custody of their three children: Violet (9 years old), Seraphina (6 years old), and Samuel (3 years old). They will be co-parenting, and sources say that Affleck will be living on their property in a different building. They said they are choosing mediation because they believe it will be in the best interests of their children.
We at Divorce With Dignity also believe a non-litigated, amicable divorce with mediation (if needed) is in the best interest of all parties, especially children. When mediation is used, the couple meets with a trained, neutral third party who will facilitate discussions to help them reach a divorce agreement together. If an agreement is reached, then it will be put into writing and filed with the court. The terms of the divorce agreement then become the court’s orders. The advantages of this approach are numerous; some of these are:• Less contention and animosity
- Less emotionally difficult on the children and the parents
- More privacy (mediation records are private, court records are not)
- The couple decides on the terms of the divorce agreement, not the courts
- People who have had a say in the terms of the agreement are more likely to follow them than if they had been imposed by a judge
- The divorce process is completed faster
- It’s a lot less costly than litigation
If you are on the threshold of divorce, we advise you to not rush into hiring a lawyer to start court proceedings. Rather, we encourage you to learn about other options that may be better for you, and for everyone involved. Contact a Divorce With Dignity representative in your area, and let us explain the divorce process and how we can help you achieve a peaceful and fair divorce in a cost-effective and dignified way. For divorce advice, visit our website to find a Divorce With Dignity professional near you.
The author of this blog is not an attorney and the information contained in these blogs should not be considered legal advice. The information provided here is based on the experience of the author and some of her clients whose actual names are not mentioned. Do not hesitate to seek the advice of an attorney if you have any legal questions.
