New York Divorce Report - New York's Divorce and Family Law Blog

A preliminary conference will be, for most, the first, if not the only court appearance in a contested divorce in New York. I like to think of the preliminary conference as the first opportunity to formally eliminate and identify issues in the case. Once the issues in dispute are identified, the timeline is set for their final resolution at trial. Like all court appearances in a matrimonial action, the parties and their attorneys must appear in court.  At the conference, the parties sign a binding agreement (a " Preliminary Conference Order") detailing  what issues (marital fault [grounds], equitable distribution, maintenance,... More