Divorce: What is a Case Management Date?

Are you in the process of filing for divorce, or have you been served with a divorce complaint? If so, you are likely overwhelmed with the sheer amount of paperwork and legal terminology involved in the process. Due to this complexity, it is extremely easy for involved parties to miss certain key dates related to the divorce process. One of these dates is the case management date. Depending on what you do between the time you are served with a complaint and your case management date, you can potentially influence the speed that your divorce will be processed and finalized.

Where Can I Find My Case Management Date?

In most cases, this date is displayed at the top of your court summons or in the body section of the Notice of Automatic Court Orders. Your case management date will be at least 90 days after your action has been filed, requiring you and your spouse to attend a mandatory conference in court to hear your case. During this 90 day period, it is important that you use this time to negotiate the terms of your separation and attempt to reach an agreement before you enter court.

You and your spouse must determine:

• Custody arrangements
• Asset division
• Visitation schedules
• Alimony
• Child support

If you are able to come to an agreement, you may be able to complete your divorce on your case management date. If you are not able to agree, you will instead be required to file several different documents in preparation for your trial.

Required documents include:

• A signed and dated case management agreement
• Financial affidavits for both spouses
• A signed and dated parenting agreement, if applicable

What if I Can’t Attend My Case Management Date?

If you cannot attend court on your designated case management date, you must notify the court and your spouse as soon as possible. It is important to note, however, that the courts will likely not reschedule this date, requiring you to file the necessary paperwork well in advance or to have your spouse file the required documents in your absence. If you have not filed all of the needed legal forms by your case management date, your case may be dismissed.

Divorcing? Contact Goldblatt, Marquette & Rashba, PC

If you are currently in the process of divorce, it is crucial that you retain powerful legal representation to protect your interests and improve your chances of securing a desirable outcome for your situation. At Goldblatt, Marquette & Rashba, PC, our firm’s highly knowledgeable Hamden divorce attorneys can use our 60+ years of family law experience to advocate for your rights and help you pursue an amicable solution for your marital separation. Nobody should have to go through a divorce alone. Let us carry some of the burden so that you do not have to.