In all contested cases, a pre-trial conference must be held before a trial date is set for your divorce or modification. This conference is a meeting with a judge, with you and your spouse and each of the attorneys in which the judge attempts may make suggestions for a settlement.

Before the pre-trial conference is held, a Four-Way Conference must be held with both attorneys and you and your spouse, usually at one of the attorney's offices, in an attempt to resolve all remaining issues by agreement, or to settle as many issues as possible in advance of the pre-trial conference.

• If all issues are resolved at the Four-Way Conference, then a Divorce Agreement is drafted and your divorce may be heard and granted at the pre-trial conference.
  
• If all issues are not resolved at the Four-Way Conference, then each attorney will prepare a Pre-Trial Conference Memorandum for the judge, outlining what issues have been agreed-to and what issues remain unresolved, among other matters.

Most cases are settled at a pre-trial conference hearing. The pre-trial conference is the turning point in your case because if the case cannot be settled by agreement at that time, then the next step is for the court to assign a trial date, which can be anywhere from 6 months to a year away.

Finalizing the Divorce