Family Law- Worcester - Hearings

Filing Requirements    Orders

Hearings
Scheduling      Settlement Conferences      Length of Wait Before Hearing 
Emergency Hearings      Who Will Hear the Case

Hearings
Scheduling
Hearings are generally scheduled automatically, but not 100% of the time.

Settlement Conferences
The court holds settlement conferences in cases with pro-se litigants and when parties are represented by an attorney.

Length of Time to Get a Hearing
The wait for a hearing depends on the complexity of the case and the current status of the docket.

Emergency Hearings - Pro Se Litigants
A pro se litigant should fill out the request for a hearing form and note at the top that it is an emergency. They should state the circumstances clearly. However, it is only possible to see a judge the same day a request for a hearing is filed in cases involving domestic violence.

Who Will Hear The Case
All family law cases may be heard by a Master. The assignments office determines which cases will go before a master and which will go before a judge. Parties are also asked at the scheduling conference which they would prefer. Highly contested cases generally go to a judge.



Source: A joint project of the Women's Law Center and MLAN, along with interviews conducted with Family Law Court Coordinators, court clerks and local advocates practicing in this county.  Updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).

Date of Last Review: 10/2/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)