An evaluative ADR process used by many courts to help sort out custody and parenting time issues in a "Social" ENE (SENE) or "Custody and Parenting Time" ENE (CPENE), or financial issues in a "Financial" ENE (FENE). Individual processes vary from county to county (check the various judicial district webpages linked off of www.mncourts.gov for practices in specific counties, or check with the court administrator), but they usually begin with an initial case management conference that involves all the parties, their attorneys, and a judicial officer. In this meeting, the officer discusses settlement opportunities and offers ADR processes as a solution. The ENE processes involve the parties (and their attorneys if they are represented) meeting with either one or two evaluator(s), who asks the parties to describe the situation. After spending some time considering what they have learned, they offer a recommendation of how to resolve the dispute, and facilitate a discussion between the parties to try and build agreement on their recommendation. This will generally be completed in either one or two sessions.
The process is confidential and voluntary, and must be completed within 60 days; either the parties reach an agreement, or the neutral informs the court that no agreement was reached. If the ENE is not successful, the judge will set a trial schedule for the case. The court provides a list of recommended evaluators, and fees are set on a sliding scale. Learn more about Family Court Early Neutral Evaluation