Service Providers - Law Firm Walling, Berg & Debele, P.A. Attorneys Minneapolis, Minnesota

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
Consensual Special Magistrate
Arbitration
Early Neutral Evaluation
Non-Binding Advisory Opinions
Mediation
Med-Arb
114 Mini-Trial
Neutral Fact Finding

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.

Blue Earth: • Joe Bluth

Dakota: • Deborah Dewalt

Hennepin County: • Frank Abramson; • Mary L. Davidson; • William Mullin; • Judy Sherwood; • Cathy Gorlin

Olmsted: • Jill Frieders

Ramsey County: • D. Patrick McCullough; • Michael W. Bertelson; • Thomas Tuft

Washington: • Jean K. Kubitschek

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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.

Blue Earth: • Joe Bluth

Dakota: • Deborah Dewalt; • Merlyn Meinerts

Olmsted: • Jill Frieders

Hennepin County: • Frank Abramson; • William Mullin; • Martin Swaden; • Cathy Gorlin; • Eva Cheney Hatcher; • Cary Miller-Dolan; • Andrea Niemi; • Melvin Ogurak; • Judy Sherwood

Ramsey County: • D. Patrick McCullough; • Michael W. Bertelson; • Thomas Tuft

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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.

Blue Earth: • Joe Bluth

Cass: • James McGill

Freeborn: • Linda Bottelson

Hennepin County: • Frank Abramson; • Howard Kaminsky; • William Mullin; • Martin Swaden; • Latessa Ward; • Peggy Cottrell; • Mary L. Davidson; • Sheldon Pinsky; • Latessa Ward; • Kit Thomas; • Gary A. Weissman; • Judy Sherwood

Dakota County: • Deborah Dewalt; • Merlyn Meinerts

Olmsted: • Jill Frieders

Ramsey County: • D. Patrick McCullough; • Michael W. Bertelson; • Kay M. Kraus; • Anne McNattin; • Thomas Tuft; • Linda Allen

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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.

Anoka County: • Matthew Shore; • Lisa Kallemey; • Judy Sherwood

Carver County: • Karen K. Hasse; • Jeff Johnson; • Matthew Shore

Cass County: • James McGill; • Matthew Shore

Dakota County: • Lynn Arbogast; • Deborah Dewalt; • Matthew Shore

Freeborn County: • Linda Bottelson; • Matthew Shore

Hennepin County: • Frank Abramson; • Thomas Hughes; • William Mullin; • Martin Swaden; • Linda Campbell-Maki; • Cathy Gorlin; • Eva Cheney Hatcher; • Janeen Massaros; • Laurie McLaughlin; • Cary Miller-Dolan; • Mindy Mitnick; • Andrea Niemi; • Melvin Ogurak; • Sheldon Pinsky; • Nathalie S. Rabuse; • Gay Rosenthal; • Jeanne L. Savoie; • Michael Shea; • Randall Smith; • Martin Swaden; • Theresa Capistrant; • Judy Sherwood; • Jeff Johnson; • Deborah L. Anderson

Dakota County: • Deborah Dewalt; • Matthew Shore

Lake County: • Jacqulin Sebastian; • Matthew Shore

Olmsted County: • Jill Frieders; • Matthew Shore

Ramsey County: • Joan Lucas; • D. Patrick McCullough; • Susan De Vries; • Michael W. Bertelson; • Kay M. Kraus; • Anne McNattin; • Thomas Tuft; • Dana McKenzie; • Judy Sherwood; • Carol Tellett; • Jennifer Joseph; • Matthew Shore

St. Louis County: • Larry Nord; • Matthew Shore

Washington County: • Lee Woolery; • Judy Sherwood; • Matthew Shore

Wright County: • Carol Vander Kooi; • Matthew Shore

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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.

Blue Earth: • Joe Bluth

Dakota County: • Deborah Dewalt

Freeborn: • Linda Bottelson

Hennepin County: • Frank Abramson; • Howard Kaminsky; • Christine Leick; • Martin Swaden; • Cass Weil; • Cathy Gorlin; • Eva Cheney Hatcher; • Cary Miller-Dolan; • Andrea Niemi; • Melvin Ogurak; • Gary A. Weissman; • Judy Sherwood

ND: • Mary Seaworth

Olmsted County: • Jill Frieders

Ramsey County: • D. Patrick McCullough; • Susan De Vries; • Michael W. Bertelson; • Thomas Tuft; • Dana McKenzie

St. Louis County: • Larry Nord

Washington County: • Lee Woolery; • Judy Sherwood

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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.

Anoka County: • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

Hennepin County: • Frank Abramson; • Rob Hill; • Thomas Hughes; • Howard Kaminsky; • David Kiwus; • Christine Leick; • William Mullin; • Martin Swaden; • Linda Campbell-Maki; • Janet Collins; • Peggy Cottrell; • Michael Garelick; • Cathy Gorlin; • Kirsten Lysne; • Janeen Massaros; • Allison Maxim; • Marilyn McKnight; • Laurie McLaughlin; • Cary Miller-Dolan; • Geri Napuck; • Andrea Niemi; • Melvin Ogurak; • Melanie Persellin; • Sheldon Pinsky; • Nathalie S. Rabuse; • Jeanne L. Savoie; • Dan Simon; • Randall Smith; • Kit Thomas; • Judy Sherwood; • Jeff Johnson; • Deborah L. Anderson; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Jean Hariman

Carver: • Jean Hariman; • Jeff Johnson; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

Dakota County: • Deborah Dewalt; • Carl Arnold; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

Lake County: • Jacqulin Sebastian; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

ND: • Mary Seaworth; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

St. Louis County: • Larry Nord; • Patty Murto; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

Ramsey County: • D. Patrick McCullough; • Susan De Vries; • Michael W. Bertelson; • Kay M. Kraus; • Valerie Arnold; • Thomas Tuft; • Dana McKenzie; • Judy Sherwood; • Carol Tellett; • Kathleen Beddow; • Karen K. Irvin; • Jessica Kuchta-Miller; • Linda Allen; • Jennifer Joseph; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

Rice County: • Sandy LaRoy; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

Washington County: • Kristi Bushinski; • Jean K. Kubitschek; • Lee Woolery; • Judy Sherwood; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

Washington County: • Carol Vander Kooi; • Kathhy K.Hart; • JoAnn Harjes; • Matthew Shore

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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.

Blue Earth: • Joe Bluth; • JoAnn Harjes

Carver: • Jean Hariman; • Jeff Johnson; • JoAnn Harjes

Cass County: • James McGill; • JoAnn Harjes

Hennepin County: • Frank Abramson; • Martin Swaden; •Linda Campbell-Maki; • Michael Garelick; • Cathy Gorlin; • Eva Cheney Hatcher; • Kirsten Lysne; • Janeen Massaros; • Cary Miller-Dolan; • Andrea Niemi; • Melvin Ogurak; • Randall Smith; • Kit Thomas; • Linda Allen; • Judy Sherwood; • Jeff Johnson; • JoAnn Harjes

Dakota County: • Deborah Dewalt; • Lynn Arbogast; • Merlyn Meinerts; • JoAnn Harjes

Lake County: • Jacqulin Sebastian

Ramsey County: • D. Patrick McCullough; • Susan De Vries; • Michael W. Bertelson; • Kay M. Kraus; • Thomas Tuft; • Linda Allen; • JoAnn Harjes

St. Louis County: • Patty Murto; • JoAnn Harjes

Washington County: • Jean K. Kubitschek; • Lee Woolery; • Judy Sherwood; • JoAnn Harjes

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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.

Hennepin County: • Frank Abramson; • Michael Garelick; • Cathy Gorlin; • Eva Cheney Hatcher; • Melvin Ogurak; • Sheldon Pinsky; • Judy Sherwood

Ramsey County: • Michael W. Bertelson; • 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.

Blue Earth: • Joe Bluth

Hennepin County: • Frank Abramson; • Linda Campbell-Maki; • Cathy Gorlin; • Eva Cheney Hatcher; • Melvin Ogurak; • Randall Smith; • Sheldon Pinsky; • Judy Sherwood

Ramsey County: • D. Patrick McCullough; • Kay M. Kraus; • Thomas Tuft; • Tom Alf

Sherburne: • Pamela Quinn

Washington County: • Jean K. Kubitschek; • Judy Sherwood

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