The fighting spouses settle because they fear losing control to the court or because they are intimidated by the thought of trial. The settlement is not reached through mutual understanding or consideration or mutual needs. Although the adversary system is an outmoded, inefficient means of achieving a divorce, it is not possible to get a divorce without some contact with the system. You will better able to use and control the system if you know something about how lawyers are trained and taught to think and behave. Lawyers are trained to be advocates and adversaries.
Good lawyers win for their clients.
They are not trained to care particularly whether their client is guilty or innocent or whether their client breached the contract. A lawyer who gets his or her guilty client acquitted or who succeeds in helping his or her client successfully breach his or her contract is a winner and, hence, a good lawyer. Under this system at its best, the lawyer's image is that of a crusader for justice, the lawyer who never rests until the innocent client or worthy victim has been vindicated. At its worst, the lawyer's image is that of a cynical shyster, out to beat the system on behalf of whoever can pay the most. But most lawyers are neither knights in shining armor nor crafty villains.