
Divorce Attorney in Sarasota
Comprehensive Support for Sarasota & Manatee County Residents
Divorce is commonly a complex and emotional process affecting both couples and their children. The end of a marriage can invoke a range of strong emotions, including sadness, anger, frustration, and anxiety. While dealing with the emotional toll, it can also require navigating complex legal processes and making significant decisions about your future, which can be stressful and overwhelming.
Divorce often involves major changes in lifestyle and routine. You may need to sell the family home, divide assets and debts, and establish new living arrangements. These changes can be disruptive and unsettling, particularly if children are involved.
In some cases, divorce may also involve bitter conflict between spouses. This further complicates the process, making reaching rational and mutually agreeable solutions difficult. Understanding each party's legal rights and responsibilities is crucial in navigating these disputes effectively.
At McDermott Law Offices, PLLC, we understand the challenges involved in the divorce process. Our attorney has handled thousands of cases and has built a reputation for integrity, dedication, and responsive client service. Attorney Paul McDermott brings clients over two decades of experience, including litigation, negotiation, formal mediation, and collaborative law as options to the divorce process. In addition to guiding clients through the traditional process, we place a strong emphasis on resolving conflicts through peaceful means, believing that a personalized approach often leads to more sustainable outcomes.
Learn more about your options by consulting our divorce attorney in Sarasota. Call (941) 837-5071 or contact us online to get started.
Divorce Resolution Methods in Sarasota
Various litigation and non-litigation methods can be used to obtain a divorce in Florida. Litigation typically involves going to court and having a judge decide about the multiple issues involved in the divorce. Understanding the litigation process is important, as it can be time-intensive and costly, but also provides a definitive legal ruling on contentious matters. For many, it's a necessary path when parties cannot reach an amicable agreement through other means.
Non-litigation methods, such as formal mediation and collaborative divorce, offer alternative ways to resolve disputes and come to mutually agreeable solutions. These methods are often lauded for preserving relationships because they encourage mutual decision-making rather than adversarial confrontation.
Formal mediation involves a neutral third party who helps the couple negotiate and reach a settlement agreement. Attorney Paul McDermott has represented clients in hundreds of mediations. The Court requires the parties to mediate before scheduling a trial in the case. Mediation can be a less stressful option for couples, as it gives them more autonomy over the outcome, allowing them to tailor solutions to fit their unique circumstances.
Collaborative divorce involves each spouse hiring their divorce attorney and committing to resolving disputes through negotiation and cooperation rather than litigation. Mr. McDermott is a trained collaborative divorce lawyer. In collaborative divorce settings, both parties and their attorneys agree, in writing, to prioritize negotiation and to keep proceedings out of the courtroom, fostering a respectful exchange focused on the future instead of past grievances.


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He was respectful, experienced, personable, and genuine. Throughout the entire divorce process, I was not once disappointed.
- Teresa H. -
My experience with Paul and Louise was stupendous through and through. Honest. Reliable. Fair. Integrity. My case was handled with the utmost care and professionalism.
- Anne P. -
Paul was very responsive and understanding of individual situations. Was a pleasure working with him!
- Heather L. -
I was shown nothing but respect, professionalism, compassion, and integrity... my case was handled with the utmost care and importance.
- Joseph L. -
This team demonstrated incredible empathy, creativity, integrity, wealth of knowledge, and humor when helping me with my divorce. They lead me step by step with projected timelines, options, and reality checks.
- Eduardo L. -
Very helpful and professional. Returns communication in a very timely manner.
- Madison M. -
As you can imagine any divorce is traumatic. Working with Mr. McDermott made the process better. His good listening skills, compassion and legal expertise were excellent.
- Jeffrey H. -
Mr. McDermott provided me with the greatest counseling and representation that I could ask for. I really appreciate his honesty, integrity, and responsiveness.
- Sergio A.