Central Florida Family Law Lawyers Appel & Gaines Offers Creative and Collaborative Divorce Solutions

Lakeland, FL (Lexis Nexis) February 28, 2008 -- The lawyers at Appel & Gaines, LLP (http://www.centralfloridadivorcelawyer.com/) experience first hand their client's struggles with the emotionally challenging, destructive and costly process of divorce in Florida (http://www.centralfloridadivorcelawyer.com/divorce-in-florida.html). Therefore, their attorneys frequently suggest to clients that they initiate a "collaborative" approach to resolving their family law issues.

"Oftentimes divorce causes a family crisis where the family as a whole is threatened by financial ruin or where the children suffer tremendous emotional distress," said Florida Divorce Attorney (http://www.centralfloridadivorcelawyer.com/about.html)Jeff Appel. "Rather than assuage this turmoil, the legal system sometimes intensifies this crisis by its adversarial nature."

As a result, more families are turning to a less adversarial approach to a divorce settlement. This approach is designed to encourage a divorcing couple to work together to reach resolutions on intrinsically explosive issues. Such inflammatory issues include: where the children will reside; how timesharing will be handled; and how financial issues can be best settled to benefit the family as a whole, even as the husband and wife choose to live separate lives.

Unfortunately, mechanisms of the legal process and misconceptions about the legal process can exaggerate these problems and can lead to unreasonable behavior, subjecting children to needless posturing, frivolous motions and numerous court hearings. This level of conflict frequently means that the parties lose their ability to civilly communicate; it creates a more damaging and detrimental divorce than what could be achieved through an approach of cooperation and communication.

The lawyers at Appel & Gaines, LLP, endorse the collaborative approach and have participated in many family law matters that resolved without having to be decided by a Judge. In their experience, these cases moved quicker, were less expensive and the litigants ended their marriage or other dispute without allowing the litigation process to ruin their lives or the lives of their children. Although this "team approach" cannot be applied to every situation, the process known as collaborative law can be very effective and their attorneys discuss this option with clients whenever possible.

About Appel & Gaines, LLP:

The lawyers of Appel & Gaines help families understand the divorce process in Florida and what to expect as they move toward a settlement. Jeffrey E. Appel (http://www.martindale.com/Jeffrey-E-Appel/2037616-lawyer.htm), Esq. attended the University of Florida where he received his Bachelor of Arts in 1989, and his Master on Sociology and his law degree in 1993. Jeff's first job was with Holland & Knight, LLP, where he practiced in the litigation department. He left H&K., LLP to become a founding member of Harbsmeier, DeZayas & Appel, LLP. As a partner with the firm, Jeff continued to concentrate his practice in trial work and also devoted time to family law maters and business litigation. Jeff's client base grew statewide and he started the firm's second office, located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. As of January 1, 2006, Jeff began the office that has become Appel & Gaines, LLP. Jeff continues to practice family law, workers' compensation and business litigation. Outside of work, Jeff can be found fishing and enjoying outdoor activities.

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