Most jobs are fairly routine. You know what tasks you are expected to get done, and how you are going to do them. There’s often a set structure or a series of established steps that guide your daily work, from start to finish. Of course, there may be occasional surprises or challenges, but for the most part, you have a roadmap that’s been laid out, and your main responsibility is to navigate it effectively.
Working as a special master in New Mexico’s family law courts is pretty much the exact opposite of this. Each divorce you help finalize is different. The tasks you are assigned and the tactics you use to tick them off your to-do list vary wildly between cases.
This is one of the reasons why Attorney Bob Matteucci enjoys working as a special master. He appreciates the opportunity to flex his problem solving skills and put his MBA and past business experience — as well as his law degree — to the test.
Smoothing the Path to Divorce
Attorney Matteucci has found that the cases he is asked to work on as a special master are as different from one another as day is from night. While no two cases are alike, here are a few tasks he has been asked to carry out:
- Valuing and Dividing Complex Assets: When divorces involve substantial wealth, a special master may assist with the valuation and division of assets like businesses, real estate, retirement accounts, or investments, ensuring each partner walks away with their fair share.
- Investigating Disputed Issues: Special masters may investigate issues that divorcing couples cannot agree on. This includes things like asset valuations, business ownership, or allegations of hidden income or property. The special master gathers evidence, reviews documents, interviews witnesses, and assess the accuracy of financial disclosures then reports back to the judge.
- Monitoring Compliance with Court Orders: In some cases, special masters are tasked with ensuring that both parties adhere to temporary court orders, such as those involving financial support, asset use, or even business operations. This monitoring can help enforce compliance and prevent one partner from deliberately destroying or depleting assets that will ultimately be divided.
- Coordinating with Other Professionals: Special masters frequently work alongside other experts, such as forensic accountants, appraisers, or real estate agents, to take action or get information needed to move the divorce forward.
- Making Recommendations to the Court: After reviewing an issue or taking action on behalf of a divorcing couple, special masters typically provide a detailed report or make recommendations to the court. The report they make to the court is accepted at face value unless one party can prove it is clearly erroneous.
These are just a few examples of work Attorney Bob Matteucci has done as a special master. The exact scope of his duties is specified by the judge and the parties in each specific case. A court order then tells him what he is expected to accomplish, the timeline for the work, and the format of any reports that will be submitted.
Serving Families with Dignity & Compassion
Overall, the role of a special master attorney in New Mexico divorce cases is to streamline complex aspects of the case, reduce conflict, and assist the court in reaching informed, fair decisions.
Attorney Bob Matteucci is typically asked to serve as a special master in divorces where there are business assets, real estate, or other items that are difficult to divide up. His background as a business owner combined with his family law experience help him get the job done so everyone involved can move forward. Please contact him today to learn more and to schedule a confidential consultation.