We Don’t Use No Stinking Checklists

Steven Leskin

STEVEN LESKIN

Oregon Divorce Lawyer This famous quote was uttered by Steven Leskin, the creator of the One Day Divorce process, in response to a client question. And, there is a good reason for that sentiment. Our process is fully rooted in the efficient use of online and dynamic technology.

Most divorce law firms, and most mediators, will send out a divorce checklist requesting documents in Oregon. The list may request years of tax returns, bank and credit card statements, statements from your retirement accounts, etc. The lawyers will then spend hours reviewing these documents. Sometimes, the lawyers discover something important to the couple in all this information, but not always.

One Day Divorce does things differently. We do not send out divorce checklists requesting reams of documents. We do not expect you to go to your bank and download years of bank or credit card statements. After all, the court does not really care how money is spend during a marriage. The courts only care about the value of assets and debts at the time of the divorce.

One Day Divorce requests information through on line interviews, essentially on line questionnaires. The interviews are easy to complete. Both spouses complete the same questionnaires. You will know most of the information without needing to look anything up. Both spouses will see the other’s responses. Only when there is a difference, do we request to see additional documentation.

When it comes to the assets, debts and income of the marriage, both parties disclose their most recent balances and income through the online interviews. If one spouse writes that a checking account is worth $2,000 but the other spouse believed it is worth $5,000, to resolve this difference, the parties will need to produce bank or credit card statements. Only where there is a conflict do the parties need to produce proof. You cannot achieve this level of efficiency through information gathered through checklists.

The process also safeguards the parties against some significant omissions. As part of the process, husband and wife are requested to obtain information about their income and debts from objective sources. This insures, as much as possible, that the income and debt of the parties is correctly accounted for.

What One Day Divorce does provide is a lot of support. Each interview comes with comprehensive instructions. The parties will each receive the One Day Divorce Guide, a comprehensive guide to Oregon divorce law. The Guide includes information on divorce law, generally, and detailed information on issues like parenting time, child support, or valuing assets.

Finally, prior to the Mediation Binding Arbitration (“MBA”), the parties will meet with the Mediator/Arbitrator. This meeting will take place about two weeks before the MBA. The mediator/arbitrator will discuss, with both parties present, the items which need to be discussed at the MBA, how to resolve differences, what documents will be needed, and answer questions in anticipation of a successful mediation.

The One Day Divorce process is far more comprehensive than simply having an attorney or mediator sending out a letter asking for information. The process itself willows down the areas of agreement and disagreement. The process provides more detailed explanations than you

would receive just by receiving a checklist. The One Day Divorce process is fair and efficient by design and we achieve this through the smart use of dynamic technology