The information provided in these categories was obtained by a survey of professionals who provide specialized services to people going through a divorce. The list is neither exhaustive nor guaranteed for accuracy. By offering this information, Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. does not make any recommendations as to the quality of the work, skill, or professional licensure represented. Please do not hesitate to contact us with new names to include or other necessary changes to make this resource as accurate as possible.
Special Master
A Master is appointed to decide issues between parties by agreement of the parties, confirmed by court order, and under certain circumstances can be appointed by the court without the parties’ agreement. The Master’s authority is limited to that granted by the order of appointment. The Master can make findings of fact concerning the entire case or just portions. Most refer to these appointments as Special Masters, though the rule, MRCP 53, refers only to Masters. The following have indicated their skill and willingness to serve in this role.
Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. makes no representations concerning their skill, qualifications or licensure. It is your responsibility to investigate and determine if any person you intend to utilize, in such an important and private matter, is qualified to provide the required services. Please contact the professional directly to determine their availability, fees, whether or not they take your insurance, and if they are willing and able to provide the kind of services you need.
- Hennepin County
- • Frank Abramson
- • William Mullin
- Ramsey County
- • D. Patrick McCullough
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Consensual Special Magistrate
Often simply referred to as a CSM, this role comes out of the Alternative Dispute Resolution adjudicative process defined in MRP-DC 114. The appointment of a CSM to decide disputed issues can only be by agreement of the parties. The CSM functions as a neutral, like a judge, and must permit the parties to present their positions in the same manner as in a civil lawsuit presented to a judge. This process is binding and includes the right of appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeals. CSMs are bound by the same ethics rules as judges; they are judges in every respect, but without the title. The following have indicated their skill and willingness to serve in this role.
Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. makes no representations concerning their skill, qualifications or licensure. It is your responsibility to investigate and determine if any person you intend to utilize, in such an important and private matter, is qualified to provide the required services. Please contact the professional directly to determine their availability, fees, whether or not they take your insurance, and if they are willing and able to provide the kind of services you need.
- Hennepin County
- • Frank Abramson
- • William Mullin
- • Martin Swaden
- Ramsey County
- • D. Patrick McCullough
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Arbitration
Arbitration in a family court matter will fall under MRP-DC 114 as an adjudicative process in which a neutral hears each sides position on an issue and, if the parties have agreed the decision is binding, then the proceeding will occur under the Uniform Arbitration Act (Minn. State. § § 572.08-30). If there is no agreement that the arbitration is binding the proceeding will be conducted under the ADR rules. The following have indicated their skill and willingness to serve in this role.
Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. makes no representations concerning their skill, qualifications or licensure. It is your responsibility to investigate and determine if any person you intend to utilize, in such an important and private matter, is qualified to provide the required services. Please contact the professional directly to determine their availability, fees, whether or not they take your insurance, and if they are willing and able to provide the kind of services you need.
- Hennepin County
- • Frank Abramson
- • Howard Kaminsky
- • William Mullin
- • Martin Swaden
- • Latessa Ward
- Dakota County
- • Deborah Dewalt
- Ramsey County
- • D. Patrick McCullough
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Early Neutral Evaluation
Rather than adjudicative, the ENE is one of the evaluative processes described in the ADR rules, 114, in which a neutral hears from both sides, after the action is filed but before discovery is conducted, and renders an opinion on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the positions taken. Even is no settlement results the ENE helps narrow the issues and reduce the costs of litigation. The following have indicated their skill and willingness to serve in this role.
Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. makes no representations concerning their skill, qualifications or licensure. It is your responsibility to investigate and determine if any person you intend to utilize, in such an important and private matter, is qualified to provide the required services. Please contact the professional directly to determine their availability, fees, whether or not they take your insurance, and if they are willing and able to provide the kind of services you need.
- Hennepin County
- • Frank Abramson
- • Thomas Hughes
- • William Mullin
- • Martin Swaden
- • Latessa Ward
- Dakota County
- • Deborah Dewalt
- Ramsey County
- • D. Patrick McCullough
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Non-Binding Advisory Opinions
Like the ENE a non-binding advisory opinion is an evaluative Rule 114 process in which the parties present their positions to a neutral who issues a non-binding opinion on liability or damages or both. The following have indicated their skill and willingness to serve in this role.
Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. makes no representations concerning their skill, qualifications or licensure. It is your responsibility to investigate and determine if any person you intend to utilize, in such an important and private matter, is qualified to provide the required services. Please contact the professional directly to determine their availability, fees, whether or not they take your insurance, and if they are willing and able to provide the kind of services you need.
- Hennepin County
- • Frank Abramson
- • Howard Kaminsky
- • Christine Leick
- • Martin Swaden
- • Cass Weil
- Ramsey County
- • D. Patrick McCullough
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Mediation
Quoting from MRP-DC 114, .02 (7), “A forum in which a neutral third party facilitates communication between parties to promote settlement. A mediator may not impose his or her own judgment on the issues for that of the parties”. The following have indicated their skill and willingness to serve in this role.
Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. makes no representations concerning their skill, qualifications or licensure. It is your responsibility to investigate and determine if any person you intend to utilize, in such an important and private matter, is qualified to provide the required services. Please contact the professional directly to determine their availability, fees, whether or not they take your insurance, and if they are willing and able to provide the kind of services you need.
- Hennepin County
- • Frank Abramson
- • Rob Hill
- • Thomas Hughes
- • Howard Kaminsky
- • David Kiwus
- • Christine Leick
- • William Mullin
- • Martin Swaden
- Dakota County
- • Deborah Dewalt
- Ramsey County
- • D. Patrick McCullough
- Anoka County
- • Tina Herzog
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Med-Arb
A two-step process under Rule 114 in which the parties agree to work with the same neutral in mediation but have also agreed that any deadlocked issues will be decided by the neutral in arbitration. The following have indicated their skill and willingness to serve in this role.
Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. makes no representations concerning their skill, qualifications or licensure. It is your responsibility to investigate and determine if any person you intend to utilize, in such an important and private matter, is qualified to provide the required services. Please contact the professional directly to determine their availability, fees, whether or not they take your insurance, and if they are willing and able to provide the kind of services you need.
- Hennepin County
- • Frank Abramson
- • Thomas Hughes
- • William Mullin
- • Martin Swaden
- Dakota County
- • Deborah Dewalt
- Ramsey County
- • D. Patrick McCullough
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114 Mini-Trial
A Rule 114 device in which the parties present their case to a neutral and/or a panel of neutrals and representatives of their position for the purpose of developing a framework for settlement. The opinions rendered are binding only by agreement of the parties. The following have indicated their skill and willingness to serve in this role.
Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. makes no representations concerning their skill, qualifications or licensure. It is your responsibility to investigate and determine if any person you intend to utilize, in such an important and private matter, is qualified to provide the required services. Please contact the professional directly to determine their availability, fees, whether or not they take your insurance, and if they are willing and able to provide the kind of services you need.
- Hennepin County
- • Frank Abramson
- • David Kiwus
- Ramsey County
- • D. Patrick McCullough
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Neutral Fact Finding
The neutral is defined in Rule 114 as an individual who provides an ADR process. A qualified neutral is on the Minnesota State Court Roster at:
http://www.courts.state.mn.us/apps/adr/adr_query.asp.
Neutrals can be selected by the parties based on the individuals expertise; it is not required that the neutral selected have ADR training or be registered on the State Roster. The following have indicated their skill and willingness to serve in this role. It is your responsibility to determine if they are on the roster.
Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. makes no representations concerning their skill, qualifications or licensure. It is your responsibility to investigate and determine if any person you intend to utilize, in such an important and private matter, is qualified to provide the required services. Please contact the professional directly to determine their availability, fees, whether or not they take your insurance, and if they are willing and able to provide the kind of services you need.
- Hennepin County
- • Frank Abramson
- • Thomas Hughes
- • Howard Kaminsky
- • David Kiwus
- • Richard Thorsen
- • Cass Weil
- Ramsey County
- • D. Patrick McCullough
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