The Early Settlement Panel

What exactly is the New Jersey Matrimonial Early Settlement Panel (ESP)?

Is it an interesting name for a panel of lawyers who try to read a judge’s mind (you know, "esp"?)

Well, the truth is that it is probably a little of both.

Nobody knows for certain how a particular judge will decide a specific issue in a given divorce case if the case does not settle and actually goes to trial.

On the other hand, many issues in divorce are fairly routine and can be "predicted" with a good deal of accuracy by a highly experienced New Jersey divorce lawyer.

Several months into your divorce case, the county court will schedule your case for an Early Settlement Panel, known informally as an ”ESP.”

The Early Settlement Panel (ie. “ESP”) is a group of often two lawyers (some counties have 3, other counties have only one panelist per case) assigned to your case once your divorce complaint has been filed for several months.

You, your spouse, and both of your attorneys will appear before the Panel in a room at the county courthouse (or, more recently post-Covid, via Zoom).

The Early Settlement Panel members, or panelists, are local lawyers who either deal with divorce issues exclusively or practice a substantial amount of divorce law.

Some panelists are more experienced than others.

Some panelists are nicer or meaner than others.

All panelists are volunteering their time to try to help you settle your case quickly, fairly, and efficiently.

In advance of the panel date your lawyer will (or should) prepare a special form that explains the issues briefly and gives your position on how those issues should be resolved.

The ESP Case Profile form is handed to the panelists by the lawyers as the room becomes occupied and the panelists spend a few minutes reviewing these forms.

The panelist normally begins by asking lawyer for the person who filed for divorce to explain to the panelist their version of the case and how it should settle.

Thereafter, the other side is given the same opportunity.

Once the panel has heard from both sides, there is usually some discussion, including input from the husband and wife directly if they choose to participate verbally.

The parties and their attorneys are then asked to step out of the room, and the two Early Settlement Panel members discuss their particular take on both parties' positions.

The panel then gives its recommendations as to how they feel your particular judge is likely to rule at a trial on the issues just discussed based upon the particular facts of your case.

The Early Settlement Panel is then concluded.

I have heard different judges say different percentages in terms of how effective the Matrimonial Early Settlement Panel is in resolving divorce cases.

To my knowledge, no reliable study has ever been done.

However, I can say as a New Jersey divorce lawyer with 37 years of divorce law experience that in my experience the Early Settlement Panel has been an extremely useful tool for helping me to help my clients settle their cases.