If you are involved in a family law proceeding in Minnesota, you will probably find that there are a lot of acronyms used by your attorney and the Court. Below are several acronyms that you may come across during your family law case:
ICMC: Initial Case Management Conference. The ICMC is usually the first hearing in your family matter, and it can take place either via Zoom or in-person, depending on the judge. It is a fairly informal “meet and greet” with the Court. The process was created to encourage settlement early in the case, and allows the parties and the Court to determine the issues and lay the foundation for the case going forward. This is oftentimes where people agree to participate in ADR as a next step.
ADR: Alternative Dispute Resolution. ADR is a method of resolving a case or dispute involving a neutral who tries to narrow the area of conflict, or who determines the outcome of a particular issue. ADR is generally a more cost-effective way of resolving your case than going to court. Parties in family cases are required to discuss the use of ADR in their case. Some examples of ADR include: ENE, mediation, or arbitration.
ENE: Early Neutral Evaluation. ENE is a confidential, voluntary, evaluative process designed to facilitate prompt dispute resolution in custody, parenting time, and financial matters. It is generally discussed at the onset of a case, either before or during the ICMC. The program offers the evaluative feedback from experienced professionals to parties engaged in custody, parenting time, and financial disputes.
FENE: Financial Early Neutral Evaluation. An FENE is a form of ADR and ENE, which helps parties resolve financial issues in a divorce setting. The parties meet with an experienced financial evaluator to mediate their case and give feedback based on the information presented. It is a great and cost-effective way to resolve financial matters early on in your case.
SENE: Social Early Neutral Evaluation. A SENE is a form of ADR and ENE, which helps parties resolve child custody and parenting time disputes in a divorce or custody setting. The parties meet with evaluators, usually one male and one female, to mediate their case. Recommendations are provided by the evaluators based on the information presented. This is a great, cost-effective way to resolve social issues in your case.
J&D: Judgment and Decree. Oftentimes, your attorney or the Court will reference a document called a J&D. This term refers to the final order in your case, which is what people are trying to get to in most situations. A Stipulated J&D is an order outlining agreements reached between the parties.
QDRO: Qualified Domestic Relations Order. A QDRO is an order that is issued after your J&D or final order, which divides retirement assets. The QDRO provides retirement plans with the directives and information needed for parties to access to those funds in the event of divorce
Please reach out to us via phone (952-746-2350) or info@familylawsolutionsmn.com to set up a free consultation if you have further questions about your family law matter.
