The F-word

Those of you who know me are aware that my wife and I have five kids.  When I tell people how many kids I have, there is usually an audible gasp and sometimes an expletive.  (I don’t know why because I love my kids.)  But as any parent will know, kids have a lot to learn about this world.  One very important lesson to learn in the Weber house is that a lament that something isn’t “fair” gets you nowhere.  We make it clear to the kids that “life isn’t fair and the sooner you learn that, the better off you’ll be.”  That’s why “fair” is the F-word.

When people come through my door, I see the tumult in their lives.  Clients will often make demands for what they view as the “fair” outcome.  However, “fair” is a subjective concept and quite impossible to define objectively during family law or divorce negotiations.  In their search for peace, clients sometimes bog themselves down in a vain attempt to achieve an unachievable result.

Really, there is no such things as a”fair divorce” in family law.

There’s a reason for that.  The idea of “fair” is rooted in one’s perspective and perception.  We view “fair” through our own prism of reality.  In family law or divorce negotiations, what one party might view as fair is often different from what another person views as fair.  If fair were easy to define, I would be out of a job because people would just be able agree with little to no effort.  But fair is not an objective standard.  Fair is always subjectively defined.  A truly fair divorce is very rare.

Why “Fair” Is the F-Word

The Myth of Lady Justice

Concepts of “justice” are equally subjective.  The statue we see at the courthouse of Lady Justice with the blindfold and the scales is a myth.  Anyone who has spent any time around a courthouse knows that achieving true justice is rare.  Rather, the courts simply apply the imperfect laws written by imperfect legislatures and interpreted by imperfect courts.  Very often, folks perceive the application of those laws as unfair or unjust.

Make a Good Business Decision

Rather than asking, “what is fair,” it makes more sense to ask, “What is a good business decision?” or “What will maximize my outcome given the hand that I have been dealt.”   These questions remove the emotional and loaded questions regarding justice and fairness. They allow the participant to focus on reaching a settlement that he or she can live with.  A settlement by definition requires compromise.  A compromise by definition means that both parties are giving something up. A fair divorce, in that situation, isn’t the point.  Rather, the focus is on making a decision that can end the conflict so that a person can move on, which in turn will bring peace.

Many of the rapids on our journey through life a borne in a sense of dissatisfaction with the choices before us.  Divorce has a way of limiting many of our choices.

I’ve never seen a client find peace in life by focusing on what is fair or unfair.  Peace comes from finding a resolution and reaching an acceptance of what is.   It’s an opportunity to transition from a conflictual sense of being to one that is harmonious and whole.

See Also:

Five Tips to Have a Miserable Divorce: https://weberdisputeresolution.com/five-tips-to-have-a-miserable-divorce/

Forgiveness During Divorce: A key to finding peace:  https://weberdisputeresolution.com/forgiveness-during-divorce/

How much does it cost to go to divorce mediation? https://weberdisputeresolution.com/divorce-mediation-cost/

Shawn Weber, CLS-F: https://weberdisputeresolution.com/meet-our-team/shawn-weber/