Following Hennepin County's lead, and a statewide trend, the Anoka County District Court has implemented a pilot early neutral evaluation program for divorcing couples. The evaluations focus on the two key issues involved in a dissolution: custody of children and economics. Couples can divert from the court system and meet with qualified "neutrals" who will facilitate settlement discussions and (unlike traditional mediation) offer opinions about the merits of a party's position. If successful, the process can save litigants months of emotionally-charged litigation and tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees and costs. Five Anoka County judges have agreed to participate in the « Continue »