Divorce is a process to legally end a marriage. A final judgment of divorce decides the issues of property division, maintenance, legal custody/placement, child support, and other related topics. There are a number of procedural options that may be used to reach resolution of these issues. The methods vary in degree of attorney and court involvement, conflict, and cost. The issues in a divorce are resolved by (a) the parties reaching an agreement or (b) a contested hearing after which a judge or court commissioner makes a decision. Divorce process options include (1) pro se divorce (self-representation), (2) mediation, (3) collaborative divorce, and (4) lawyer negotiation/litigation. We recommend that you gather information and consider discussing process options with your spouse or partner as well as with an attorney before making a choice.