Mini-trials and summary juries. The advisory opinions of those neutrals often significantly speeds settlement before the time and expense of trial are invested. Neutrals with particular experience and expertise commissioned by agreement to hear and rule on specific issues in a case with the intention that their rulings be incorporated directly into a judge s order. Parties in a very high-dollar property case involving complex disposition of interests in a functioning business, for example, might choose to hire an expert CSM to act in the place of a judge. That choice would allow them to choose a neutral of known expertise, and also to command more of that person s time than the court might be able to offer.
Judges have unlimited authority to correct their own clerical mistakes.
Making into nothing. In Minnesota, and under Minnesota law, annulment is used only in very limited circumstances to end the legal existence of a marriage which should not properly be considered a marriage in the first place. For example, where elements of fraud have drawn the validity of marriage into serious question. Or better, the Respondent can request a formal extension of the deadline to serve the answer and the parties can settle the case making an answer unnecessary. The Court of Appeals DOES NOT simply re-try the case on the facts.