I just filed for divorce. What do I do between now and the court dates?
“I just found out the court dates are scheduled to take place in a few months. What am I supposed to do in the mean time?”
After you file for divorce, the courts will set various dates and times to appear in court or in front of the Friend of the Court (FOC); typically these dates will be scheduled to take place several months into the future. During the interim there are typically issues that need to be addressed prior to the court hearings. The most common issues that arise are (a) who pays the bills and (b) who has custody of the children during the pendency of the divorce. There are programs and paperwork that can be filed to obtain some clarity during the first couple of months of the divorce process.
1. Ex-parte or Interim Orders: These are Orders that are signed by the Judge shortly after the case is filed that state how the basic bills should be paid and that all the issues shall remain “status quo”. Status quo means that the parties shall continue as they have and nothing shall change, including who pays the bills and who has custody and parenting time of the children during this trying time.
2. Conciliation: This is a program in Livingston County where a third-party attorney, normally Bonnie Miller, will meet with the parties to discuss a short-term plan and assist in resolving monetary issues and parenting time schedules. These plans are on an interim basis until the divorce is final.
No matter what the circumstances are, divorce is never an easy thing to go through. Don’t hesitate to contact me for free if you have any additional questions. We can discreetly discuss your case and determine the options that make the most sense for you.
Marcus D. Wilcox
Attorney at Law, esq.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this website is meant to be general, informative and educational. It should not be taken as specific legal advice to any particular problem or issue. Please consult an attorney personally to discuss your particular circumstances.
Wilcox Law 
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