In a divorce case, if the parties are unable to settle their issues outside of court, the judge will generally schedule a pretrial court date. This court date is one last attempt to reach a settlement agreement, and the judge is involved to assist with facilitating negotiations. The judge will not make any formal rulings at this time, however, he or she will offer advice and recommendations to the attorneys in an effort to bring the parties closer together in negotiations. If a resolution is not reached, the case will usually be set for trial at this point.
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