WHAT TO EXPECT DURING AN initial status conference.

As an informal conference between the court, parties and their counsel, initial status conferences are a crucial part in the court process. The Denver divorce attorney at Willoughby & Associates strive to avoid court situations through effective divorce mediation, but are prepared to stand with you during the court process if needed. If your case does end up reaching court, knowing what to expect during these conferences can help all parties feel at ease and prepared for the process:

With both excellent outcomes in court and favorable mediation agreements, the attorneys at Willoughby & Associates understand what you need, and how to deliver it in an effective way that allows you to transition to the next phase of your life.  Read more about what to expect during initial status conferences in “Chapter 38” of Lawyers’ Professional Liability in Colorado.

“In theory, the initial status conference is a time when the court determines if the parties have any agreements that can be made orders of the court, sets a discovery schedule, and sets the next court event. In practice, the initial status conference is where temporary orders are made, either by strong-arming, by agreement, or by default. The court may also enter interim orders to address emergency circumstances at an initial status conference. C.R.C.P. 16.2(c)(2)(D). For some magistrates, setting interim child support and maintenance amounts is an emergency issue. Additionally, discovery discussions begin and often end at this conference. The initial status conference also sets the tone of the case, both for the court and between parties and their counsel.

The results of the initial status conference will often stay with the parties for the duration of their case. Clients are generally still getting acclimated to the fact of a divorce and to the legal process at the time of an initial status conference. They are in need of a lot of legal direction and advice at this time. The initial status conference should not be underprepared for, nor its importance to the overall case underestimated” (Willoughby, 2014, p. 13).

Willoughby, K. R. Esq., (2014). Family law. Lawyers’ Professional Liability in Colorado, 13.