| Early neutral evaluation, like mediation, is focused on | | | | ENE team will ask questions to help clarify information |
| resolving divorce issues outside of court. Early neutral | | | | and positions, and will identify any areas where you |
| evaluation (ENE) is getting a lot of attention lately | | | | are already in agreement. |
| because it has been very successful in helping couples | | | | After they've heard your information, the ENE team |
| settle their divorce or separation cases early in the | | | | meets privately to evaluate the case and consider |
| process, even if the conflict between them is high. | | | | settlement suggestions for the parties. They may |
| What is ENE? | | | | come back with a request for more information, or |
| ENE is a dispute-resolution process that is designed to | | | | they may be ready to give their recommendations |
| help couples settle their divorce or separation early in | | | | right away. |
| the process, allowing parties to avoid the ongoing | | | | The joint meeting will then resume and the team will |
| expense and pressure of litigation. During ENE, a | | | | present its evaluative impressions and provide |
| couple can each share their side of the story and their | | | | settlement options, including suggestions regarding |
| feelings and frustrations. Then, they receive an expert | | | | decision-making and parenting time. The team might |
| assessment of their case, allowing them to make | | | | also suggest other services that would be helpful to |
| informed decisions about settlement. | | | | the family such as counseling, parenting classes, drug |
| How does ENE work? | | | | or alcohol education or treatment, or communication |
| A two-person ENE team usually consists of mental | | | | classes. |
| health professionals and/or lawyers, with specific | | | | After the ENE team has offered its feedback and |
| expertise in working with divorcing and separating | | | | settlement suggestions, there will be a break to give |
| families. They listen to the issues that are causing the | | | | you time to think about the suggestions and discuss |
| highest conflict between you, then offer feedback and | | | | them with your attorney(s), if any. At this point the |
| suggestions for settlement based on your unique | | | | team will then move into a mediation role to help you |
| family situation. At that point, they move into a more | | | | work out the details of an agreement. |
| traditional mediation role. | | | | How does ENE differ from mediation? |
| In your first meeting with the ENE team, each of you | | | | Both mediation and early neutral evaluation help you |
| will provide information about your family, your | | | | settle your divorce early in the process. In mediation, |
| break-up, your children, specific concerns and your | | | | the mediator helps you clarify the issues, maintain clear |
| desired outcome. If financial issues are involved, you will | | | | communication, achieve balance between you, and |
| present those as well. The ENE team may ask to | | | | manage the process in a way that allows you to |
| hear everything at once, or may deal with the | | | | move forward. Your ENE team, on the other hand, will |
| parenting issues and the financial issues separately. | | | | first give you very direct and specific |
| You will each have about 25 minutes to present your | | | | recommendations and make suggestions for your |
| information. After you have both presented your initial | | | | settlement details, before moving into that mediation |
| information, you will each have another 10 minutes or | | | | process. |
| so to respond to things the other person brought up. | | | | The goal of both mediation and early neutral evaluation |
| Part of the value of ENE is that during these | | | | is to help you reach early settlement of your divorce |
| presentations, each of you is talking directly to the ENE | | | | or separation that satisfy both of you and benefit your |
| team instead of arguing with each other. After both of | | | | children. |
| you have talked about what's important to you, the | | | | |