CC 320 Domestic Relations Verified Financial Information Form

In this video, I discuss SCAO CC 320 domestic relations verified financial information form. In 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court made some changes to divorce litigation in Michigan. First, the number of interrogatories an attorney may use was limited to 35 questions. Second, the litigants must complete the domestic relations verified financial information form soon after a case is filed. This form is designed to create a starting point at which the parties may divide the marital estate. Form CC 320 is thorough and includes both questions about a party’s finances and the production of documents. Form CC 320 has teeth in the form of sanctions and the possibility of payment of opposing counsel’s reasonable attorney fees. My experience with this form has been that clients don’t take this discovery seriously. This careless attitude is recipe for disaster in my opinion. First, the client decides to hide their financial worth. Next, the client generates high legal fees because their attorney keeps instructing them to collect documents and answer the questions properly, so the discovery can be completed on time. Now the client is fighting their own attorney and blows the deadline for compliance. Next, the opposing counsel files a motion to compel discovery and asks for sanctions and attorney fees. The client thinks, “Oh boy, I better turn something in,” but then again, Billy-bob at the bar told me it’s better to hide everything than go through an honest divorce. At the hearing, the client’s attorney announces form CC 320 is complete. But the Judge still awards sanctions and the opposing attorney their reasonable attorney fees.