Overview
Financial Early Neutral Evaluation (FENE) is a process where both parties in a family law case meet with an experienced attorney to analyze and deal with the financial issues of their divorce, like property and debt division, child support, and spousal maintenance. FENE can be a very effective method for resolving financial disputes in family law cases.
- Both parties provide the evaluator with important information about their financial
situation. - After understanding the case, the evaluator will provide an objective analysis of their financial situation and will tell the parties what
the Court might likely do. - The process is confidential, respectful, and takes place outside of the courtroom.
- FENEs often help parties avoid costly and time-consuming litigation.
The goal of FENE is to provide both parties with a clear understanding of their financial situation and to help them reach an agreement on how to divide their assets and debts.
FENE Frequently Asked Questions
A confidential evaluative process similar to mediation except that the FENE evaluator provides his or her informed view of what a reasonable resolution of the division of assets and liabilities, cash flow, spousal maintenance and child support, issues in the divorce would be if taken to court.
Parties meet with an experienced evaluator with or without their attorneys. Each party presents his/her information regarding assets, debts, income and monthly expenses. After receiving the financial information, the evaluator will provide an informed view of how a Court would likely resolve the financial
issues and property division in the divorce.
Full disclosure of your financial circumstances is critical to effectively mediating and resolving the issues. The evaluator will listen, ask questions, and gather all the information to fully understand the case. After the evaluator provides his other recommendations, both parties have an opportunity to ask questions and get clarification on the evaluator’s recommendations. From there, the parties and their attorneys work with the evaluator to try to reach agreement on some or all issues.
Angela is a trained Financial Early Neutral Evaluator and uses her extensive family law experience to provide recommendations on the likely outcome of your case if it went to trial.
The Financial Early Neutral Evaluation process can be very helpful where one or both parties have unrealistic expectations and could benefit from a neutral third party’s advice.
Call Lallemont Law, LLC today and schedule your mediation or Early Neutral Evaluation!
