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My name is Jo O'Sullivan and I'm here to talk to you about the four types of dispute resolution
processes
A kitchen table agreement is where a couple literally sit around a table and go through
what they think would be a good settlement - a financial settlement or, more often than
not, how theyíre going to care for the children. I think itís quite a difficult thing for
people to do because, in a sense, the devilís in the detail. And I think people can agree
on the big picture but find it difficult to sort out the little stuff - and sometimes
thatís where all the emotion is. Nevertheless, if theyíve done it that way, they both need
legal advice. And sometimes they need to draw those documents up into legally binding documents,
sometimes not. For example, if theyíre focusing on how theyíre going to care for the children
they might think of looking at a parenting plan and using a parenting plan to guide their
thinking because itís easy to forget things. I think people who can do it themselves are
perhaps people who have really accepted that the relationship is over. I think sometimes
itís harder for somebody whoís not really... Itís almost always the way that most people
break up at different stages so someoneís decided to end the relationship before the
other oneís entirely ready and that can cause problems. I think people who can do it are
emotionally quite advanced. Iím not. I donít think I could do it. I think I would need
the help of somebody to guide me through it. Apart from anything, itís quite important
in those early days to try and get it right.