MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55410
There are two types of Early Neutral Evaluation processes that are used by Family Court. Social Early Neutral Evaluation (SENE) relates to child custody and parenting time. SENE cases are usually handled by a team consisting of one male and one female evaluator. The second type of ENE process is Financial Early Neutral Evaluation (FENE). FENE cases are generally handled by one evaluator (a lawyer or a CPA) who has substantial understanding of the financial aspects of family law matters.
The ENE process typically begins within one month after the first court appearance (also referred to as the Initial Case Management Conference or ICMC). The parties schedule their ENE session or sessions directly with the evaluator or evaluators. When the ENE process is complete, the evaluators will contact the court regarding whether a settlement was reached by the parties.
The ENE process has been adopted by Family Court in all counties in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and has been very successful in helping parties resolve conflicts and disagreement at the early stages of a divorce case or other family law matter.
The benefit of using the ENE process is that it gives the parties a neutral evaluation of their case at the onset, in a confidential environment, and before the parties have spent considerable financial resources on the case. In many cases, The ENE program has helped cases settle more quickly and with less emotional toll and financial cost to the parties.
Attorney & Mediator Randall A. Smith is the founder of Lake Harriet Law Office & Mediation Services, LLC. Mr. Smith earned his B.A. Degree from Hamline University, his J.D. Degree from Drake University Law School and his M.B.A. Degree from the University of St. Thomas.
Mr. Smith has practiced law since 1996 and is licensed in all Minnesota Courts and in United States Tax Court.He is a Minnesota Rule 114 Neutral Mediator for Family & Civil cases and he performs Social (SENE) and Financial Early Neutral Evaluations (FENE) in divorce cases and child custody cases. He has extensive experience in high-conflict cases and in cases involving complex financial matters.
Please call Lake Harriet Law Office & Mediation Services, LLC at (612) 750-4843 to schedule an office consultation to discuss your case.
