Lawyers tend to speak in jargon, and a divorce in New Jersey involves a whirlwind of acronyms which can make the head of any litigant spin. It starts out with the preparation of a CIS (Case Information Statement) and then moves on to a series of court appearances including an initial CMC (Case Management Conference) to an ESP (Early Settlement Panel) then, perhaps, to an ISC (Intensive Settlement Conference), and ultimately culminates in a JOD (Judgment of Divorce).
Each one of these acronyms represents an important milestone in a divorce proceeding:
CIS: This is the core financial disclosure (including income, expenses, assets and liabilities) prepared by each litigant at the outset of the case. Its importance cannot be understated and its preparation requires great attention to detail.
CMC: The first of these conferences is scheduled at the outset of the case. From that point, they are scheduled by the Court from time to time to ensure that the case remains on track.
ESP: All litigants are required to attend one of these court-ordered meetings conducted by a panel of two or three neutral attorneys who volunteer their time to see whether resolution can be reached on any of the financial issues.
ISC: This is a much more intensive settlement meeting conducted by the judge near the time of trial to see whether a settlement can be hammered out so as to avoid the time and expense of a full-blown trial.
JOD: The court will enter an order, either after a settlement is reached, or after a full-blown trial, which finalizes the divorce.
If you are about the embark on a voyage of divorce, be sure to contact a member of the matrimonial team at Cohn Lifland Pearlman Herrmann & Knopf LLP ASAP. At CLPH&K, we’ve got you covered from A to Z.