Case Management Conference in a Divorce Case

    If mediation does not produce a complete agreement you either must schedule another mediation or prepare for a court battle.  It is possible to produce a limited mediation agreement, narrowing the issues to be contested in court.

    The case management hearing is a short hearing, attended by both parties or attorneys.  The court notes any agreed-to issues and any hotly contested issues.  Also, the court sets a timeline for the rest of your divorce action based on feedback from both parties.  Finally, the final hearing is allotted a certain amount of time based on the amount of contested issues.  The case management hearing is primarily held to ensure an orderly divorce process.  No major, critical issues are decided at this hearing.

   Another important purpose of case management is to make sure both parties are cooperating with discovery issues.  This means you have submitted the financial affidavit and any other required financial documents.

   For divorces filed in Pasco County, Florida, the courts have recently begun to schedule case management conferences for cases that appear to be stalled.  Sometimes the case management conferences are scheduled at random, for no apparent reason.  In any case, the conferences are normally held by a General Magistrate - a slightly different type of judge.  The client must attend any conference, and be prepared to discuss any issues in the case, such as lack of financial disclosure.

   For divorces filed in Tampa, Florida, a case management conference is automatically scheduled by the court at the same time the divorce is filed.  It is normally set 90 days after the date of the petition.  Both clients and attorneys must be there.   The Tampa Courts have recently indicated harsh treatment for people who refuse to cooperate with financial disclosure.  There is a possibility of a 10 day jail sentence if you do not submit your required financial info.

Many other counties appear to be following this trend - to apply force to people who fail to comply with court-ordered requirements.

   A special type of case management hearing - called a pretrial conference may be held to determine "housekeeping" issues for the final trial.

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   Divorce can be the single most important event in your life.  Make sure you gather lots of information so you can make informed decisions.  Many people can benefit from the advice of a good, honest, loyal divorce attorney.  The Divorce Center can provide a divorce attorney that can help you protect yourself.  A lawyer is not an expense in a divorce case - they are an investment. We help clients in Hernando County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, and Hillsborough County. Our service area includes Tampa, Clearwater, Largo, New Port Richey, Brooksville, Dade City, and the New Tampa area. CONTACT US NOW or call 888-469-3486