From 1992-2000, Mary L. Davidson administered the Divorce with Dignity Program in Hennepin County, Minnesota. This program, also know as "Collaborative Judicial Case Management," was established by Judges, attorneys and psychologists to empower people getting divorced to stay in charge and to determine the terms of their divorce. Originally conceived by San Fransisco Judge Donald B. King as a program to end custody litigation, the Hennepin County Divorce with Dignity program was very successful, decreasing the time, cost and acrimony associated with marriage dissolutions. Unfortunately, the Minneapolis program ended when Mary retired from the bench. Despite the formal demise of the Divorce with Dignity Program in the Hennepin County Court System, its dispute resolution methods and philosophies continue to be utilized in the Hennepin County Family Court.

The Divorce with Dignity approach provides many advantages over divorce litigation:

• The parties play an important role in deciding the terms of their divorce
• The opportunity exists for the parties to do creative problem-solving
• Parents can develop their own ongoing parenting plan
• The parties are encouraged to look ahead and develop goals for moving on
• The parties can fashion creative solutions that meet their unique needs

Now that she is back in private practice in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mary acts as a private Judge and utilizes Divorce with Dignity methods in the private sector. Private judging, sometimes referred to as Rent-a-Judge, is an alternative to Mediation, Arbitration and Mediation-Arbitration (Med-Arb). Acting as a private Judge, Mary works with clients and their attorneys to find solutions in an informal manner. While Mary's role is to assist the parties and their attorneys in reaching their own agreements, she can, if necessary, make decisions.

Please Contact Mary to discuss Divorce with Dignity. It could be the right option for you.