N.D.R.Ct.
RULE 8.3 CASE MANAGEMENT (DIVORCE CASES)
(a) Compulsory Meeting. Within 30 days after service of the complaint, the parties and
their attorneys shall must meet in person or by electronic means to
prepare a joint
informational statement (in the form shown in appendix C) and a preliminary property and
debt listing. The complaint and joint informational statement must be filed no later than
5
seven days after the compulsory meeting. The parties shall
must exchange information and
documentary evidence relating to the existence and valuation of assets and liabilities. At a
minimum, the parties shall must be prepared to exchange current pay
stubs, employment and
income information, tax returns, preliminary pension information, and asset, debt and
expense documentation. The parties shall must determine at the
meeting what additional
information is necessary in order to complete the case. The parties shall
must decide at the
meeting whether alternative dispute resolution methods are appropriate.
(b) Scheduling Order. Within 30 days after the informational statement is filed, the court
shall must issue its scheduling order. The court may issue the order
after either a telephone
or in-court scheduling conference, or without a conference or hearing if none is needed. The
scheduling order may establish any of the following deadlines:
(1) Specific specific dates for the completion of discovery and
other pretrial preparations;
(2) Specific specific dates for serving, filing, or hearing motions;
(3) Specific specific dates for completion of mediation/alternative
dispute resolution;
(4) A a specific date for the parties to complete parent/divorce
education;
(5) A a specific date for filing the property and debt listing;
(6) Specific specific dates for completion of parenting evaluation;
(7) A a specific date by which the parties will be prepared for the
pretrial conference;
(8) A a specific date by which the parties will be prepared for the
trial;
(9) A a specific date for identification of witnesses and
documents; and
(10) A a specific date by which the parties will submit the
parenting plans.
(c) Pretrial Conferences.
(1) Each party shall must complete a pretrial conference
statement substantially in the form
set forth in appendix D which must be served upon all parties and filed with the court at least
10 14 days prior to the date of the pretrial conference.
(2) Unless excused by the court for good cause, the parties and attorneys who will try the
proceedings shall must attend the pretrial conference, prepared to
discuss settlement. If a
stipulation is reduced to writing prior to the pretrial conference, the case may be heard as a
default at the time scheduled for the conference. In that event, only one party need appear.
If a party fails to appear at a pretrial conference, the court may dispose of the proceedings
without further notice to that party.
(3) If the parties are unable to resolve the case, in whole or in part, at the pretrial
conference, the court shall must issue an order concerning any
remaining discovery and
motions, and identifying the contested issues for trial.
(4) Unless otherwise ordered, at least 10 14 days before trial, the
parties shall must file a
joint property and debt listing substantially in the form set forth in appendix E. Each asset
or liability must be numbered separately.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Rule 8.3 was amended, effective March 1, 1986; August 1, 1996; March 1, 2008; August 1, 2009; ______________.
Subdivision (a) was amended, effective _____________, to increase the time to file the complaint and joint informational statement from five to seven days after the compulsory meeting.
Paragraph (b)(8) was amended, March 1, 2008, to delete a reference to the note of issue and certificate of readiness.
Paragraph (c)(1) was amended, effective _____________, to change the time to serve a pretrial conference statement from 10 to 14 days before the date of the pretrial conference.
Paragraph (c)(4) was amended, effective _____________, to change the time to file a joint property and debt listing from 10 to 14 days before trial.
Sources: Joint Procedure Committee Minutes of April 29-30, 2010, page 21; May 21-22, 2009, pages 44-45; April 26-27, 2007, pages 14-15; January 25-26, 1996, pages 3-6; September 28-29, 1995, pages 3-11; June 22, 1984, page 10.