Case Information Statement

The Case Information Statement “CIS”

The most important document in a divorce and most underappreciated is The Case Information Statement “CIS.”

Two important rules regarding the CIS statement:

Rules 1:38-3(d)(1)

Family Case Information Statements required by R. 5:5-2, notices required by R. 5 :5-10 including requisite financial, custody and parenting plans, Financial Statements in Summary Support Actions required by R. 5:5-3 including all attachments, and settlement agreements incorporated into judgments or orders in dissolution and non-dissolution actions, except for parties and their counsel of record;

Rules 5:5-2(f)

Confidentiality. The Family Case Information Statement and all attachments thereto shall be confidential and unavailable for public inspection, pursuant to R. 1:38-3(d)(1).

Our experience with the CIS

Our firm’s experience has been that very little time is spent planning to prepare, gathering supporting documents, analyzing the data and recording the family lifestyle on the CIS statement by attorneys or by the divorcing parties. The importance of preparing an accurate CIS statement cannot be understated, however we very rarely see accurate CIS statements. Often is the result of just not spending enough time on its preparation.

The result of poorly prepared CIS

This is very unfortunate because this lack of appropriate time spent on the CIS statement can result in increasing your legal fees by 10 X.

This means that if you would pay $15,000 for normal divorce by not spending the appropriate amount of time in CIS statement because the $150,000.

For more complicated divorces where fees can range from $100,000 to$300,000 the inappropriate time spent  on the CIS statement can cost close to $3 million.

Our firm is usually brought into the case after the CIS statement is prepared and filed and we are usually stunned how inaccurate it is. We realize that the lack of appropriate time spending preparing the CIS will be a complete disaster for everyone involved in the divorce.

Why is the CIS statements so important

CIS statement reflects the family’s lifestyle, its current and past that spending, the assets accumulated, the earnings and earning potential of each party and much more.

Judges will review the CIS statement and look at supporting documents to determine whether it reflects reality.

If both parties properly prepare the CIS statement it can facilitate quick settlements.

Remember if you don’t give the judges a good tool like an accurate CIS statement it makes the case much more complex.

If the case cannot settle the CIS statement will be utilized to give you what is called temporary support or pendente lite. It will also be used to calculate child support, alimony your fair share of marital assets and other important issues in your divorce.

How to prepare the CIS statement

See YouTube description area for a link to CIS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odOdcWu7TtY