Divorce

Subscribe to Divorce via RSS

Minnesota is a "no-fault" divorce state, and has been since the mid 1970's. Typical issues involved in a divorce include custody, child support, property division and spousal maintenance. While some divorces come to conclusion following a trial, the vast majority of cases resolve outside of the courtroom.

Child support in Minnesota is governed by the Minnesota child support guidelines. Here are some of the key elements associated with these awards: Basic Support: The cash payment one parent makes to another, on a monthly basis, for the support of a child. Medical Support: The allocation of medical insurance premiums and uninsured medical expenses relating to a child . Daycare Support: The allocation of work-related care expenses associated with a child. Child Support Guidelines: Provide the formula for determining the appropriate amount of ……

Continue Reading Child Support in Minnesota : Types of Support and Calculation

Custody disputes are some of the most intense, emotional cases we handle. Here we  provide basic information concerning custody and parenting time issues in Minnesota divorce and paternity cases: Legal Custody: Involves the key decisions made on behalf of a child in terms of education, religion and medical needs. The presumption is that parents will share joint legal custody. This presumption may be overcome by demonstrating an inability to communicate or a history of domestic abuse. Physical Custody: Involves the day to day care and decision ……

Continue Reading Custody in Minnesota : Definitions and Standards

Marital dissolution cases in Minnesota involve a number of procedural elements. Here is a summary, from case inception through appeal: Filing: Once the Summon and Petition are served upon a party, the action may be filed with the Court. ICMC: First interaction with the Court is an Initial Case Management Conference. This is an informal conference to determine the issues and how to best proceed. Parties can elect ENE or traditional litigation. ENE: Early Neutral Evaluation occurs, if the parties agree to participate. There are two types: (1) ……

Continue Reading Marital Dissolution in Minnesota : Procedural Primer

Divorce in Minnesota involves a number of often overlooked basic elements, summarized here: Parties: The initiating party in a dissolution action is the Petitioner, while the responding party is the Respondent. Jurisdiction: Subject matter jurisdiction exists if one party has resided in Minnesota for at least 180 days. Personal jurisdiction exists if party is a resident of Minnesota, has minimum contacts with Minnesota, or submits to jurisdiction in Minnesota. Venue: A dissolution action may be brought in a county in which either party resides at ……

Continue Reading Minnesota Divorce Concepts : Case Basics

Social early neutral evaluations are rising in popularity in Minnesota. If the issue of physical or legal custody is in dispute in your divorce, it is likely that the court will encourage you to participate in a Social Early Neutral Evaluation — often referred to as an SENE (Hennepin, Sherburne, Wright, Dakota, Scott County). In Anoka County, the process is known as a Custody and Parenting Time Early Neutral Evaluation, or CPENE. Fortunately, there is about an 80% settlement success rate associated with the process. An early neutral evaluation is a ……

Continue Reading Social Early Neutral Evaluation in Minnesota : Process Overview

The venue for a divorce, generally, refers to the location where dissolution proceedings will be heard.

If you are filing for divorce in the State of Minnesota, venue refers to the county in which your divorce will be handled.

The first step in initiating divorce proceedings in the State of Minnesota involves the service and…

ICMC

As early as three weeks after filing for divorce, the parties must appear before the judicial officer assigned to their case. This first appearance is called the “Initial Case Management Conference.”

The ICMC is an informal hearing. No arguments are presented, or decisions made – except for a determination concerning how to move forward…

As more and more counties adopt the early neutral evaluation model, fewer divorce litigants face the prospect of a motion for temporary relief. A decade ago, nearly every party to a divorce would seek some sort of temporary order from the judge, given the fact that few alternatives were available for immediate structured debate and discussion concerning issues like custody, parenting time, child support, property division and spousal maintenance.…

Continue Reading The Process of Filing a Motion for Temporary Relief in Minnesota Divorce Court