Early Neutral Evaluation

Early Neutral Evaluation

To help you find solutions to resolve financial issues we offer a range of options. One such option is an informal evaluation meeting. There may be one or two issues you can’t agree on but until they are resolved you can’t move on. You may even have tried mediation or the collaborative law model with your partner and agreed a wide range of issues but still there are a few significant issues dividing you. An impasse is reached and your lawyers may be advising that the only solution is to go to court. But is that really the only option you have at this point?

If you ended up going through the court process it may take 6-9 months before you get to a hearing called a Financial Dispute Resolution Appointment (FDRH). This will be your first opportunity to hear a Judge’s view as to how the court may resolve your issues. It is one person’s view, even if it is a Judge and it is not binding.

If you still can’t agree you end up at a final hearing when a different Judge will tell you what’s going to happen to:-

• Your income
• Your capital
• Your pensions

Significantly, if lawyers are involved it may have cost many thousands of pounds to get to that point.

But what if you could get a strong indication as to the likely outcome of your case at a final hearing without the waiting, stress, cost and risk of getting to that point? We can offer you the opportunity to get an informed and experienced indication at a point in the process when it suits you.? That could be before you go to court or even if you are already in the court process.

We can offer you the equivalent to a court ordered FDRH with Robert Williams, an experienced family lawyer who sits as a Deputy District Judge in the Family Court. This is an informal evaluation meeting, sometimes called a ‘Private Hearing’ or ‘Early Neutral Evaluation’.

What are the benefits?

• The meeting would be at a location and time convenient to you;
• The process is private and confidential;
• Your case gets the time and attention it deserves;
• Robert will carefully consider all the paperwork you agree should be read in advance of the meeting;
• You are given the time you need to explain your case;
• Robert will identify the issues as he sees them and provide his experienced view on how those issues might be dealt with at a final hearing;

By getting an early indication you might then resolve matters, save significant expense, reduce stress and bring forward the time for you to move on with the next phase of your life.  If agreement is reached we can draft the paperwork for you.

If you would like an appointment with one of our specialists in Brighton, London, Horsham, Kent, Essex, North Hampshire & Surrey or South/Mid Hampshire then please contact us on 0330 055 2234.