A master’s hearing in an increasingly common pretrial proceeding involved in contested divorce, where the spouses were unable to resolve fault divorce claims or property and debt distribution. Hearings and conferences are conducted by the hearing master, an attorney appointed by the court. The scope of the master’s hearing is to decide issues related to the division of marital property, whether alimony can be warranted or other related economic claims. After hearing testimony and taking evidence the divorce master issues a report with recommendations on marital asset distribution, alimony and counsel fees and other details.