An ICMC is an Initial Case Management Conference in a divorce or custody matter. The ICMC is scheduled by court administration and is held in a court room.  It’s essentially a chance for the judge to meet the people who are divorcing, or asking for custody, and explain how beneficial it will be for them to reach an agreement regarding the unresolved issues rather than leave it in the judge’s hands.

Each party provides financial information so the judge can determine whether the parties qualify for reduced fees or whether one party should pay more than 50% of the fees for the early neutral evaluation (ENE) process. The judge can also make recommendations for moving forward in cases where one spouse is afraid of being harmed by the other spouse.

FAST AND INEXPENSIVE WAY TO SETTLE DISPUTES

The ICMC is scheduled much faster than a motion hearing would be scheduled because the idea of an ICMC is to encourage people to work toward an agreement before they get too embroiled in a fight. They are encouraged to maintain control over their own divorce by working with professionals on a court-approved roster of mediators who can offer their professional insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the case for each party while helping them reach their own resolution.

The parties can agree to attempt to reach a resolution through the early neutral evaluation process, or they can choose to skip that step and move straight into litigation. At any point of the process, parties can reach a settlement on their own or with the help of their attorneys.

Experienced Family Law Attorney Christine Callahan is also a Rule 114 neutral, Mediator, and is on the court roster of SENE and FENE evaluators in Scott and Carver counties. Whether you need an attorney who understands the process inside and out, or you need an experienced evaluator, contact us today. 952-746-2350. ccallahan@tbattys.com.

Following the ICMC, there are two separate processes to address parenting/custody issues (SENE) and financial issues (FENE). See our blog posts addressing those specific processes for more details.