Divorce courts in Louisiana and elsewhere are rarely filled with agreeable spouses. Some family law attorneys say the best option for spouses on the road to divorce may be to never enter a courtroom. For couples seeking as much sanity as possible through divorce, structured negotiations may be the answer.

Divorce is not easy, even for the spouse who seeks one. Sometimes a courtroom showdown over marital issues or child custody makes the process even harder. Many legal experts now feel that divorces resolved outside of court are the best option, unless matters between spouses cannot be resolved any other way.

Divorce litigation has a long-term impact on the spouses involved. Divorcing parents are reminded to consider how a court battle over child support or custody will impact their children. The immediate satisfaction of in-court revenge can have a detrimental effect later, when exes try to manage co-parenting plans.

A divorce in court can create a high-stress situation that can end up costing too much time, expense and effort. Compared to collaborative divorce or divorce mediation, the use of a family-law court to answer divorce questions removes the ability of spouses to negotiate a mutually satisfactory outcome. In court, what a judge says is permanent in a divorce settlement.

For couples who want to avoid contention, expense and backed-up court dockets, legal experts in mediation can offer a civilized divorce solution. Attorneys who specialize in mediation are negotiators who help spouses strike deals without malice.

Emotions and strong arguments may still arise during divorce mediation. However, mediation eliminates the stage of a courtroom and replaces it with give-and-take negotiations that can have a beneficial effect long after divorce issues are settled.

Source: The Huffington Post, "Why Soon-To-Be Exes Should Stay out of Court," M. Marcy Jones, Dec. 5, 2011