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Chapter 8

Form 8-30

Compulsory counterclaims may not be severed. The action for divorce and division of the parties’ estate may not be severed.

Include the following notice if a minor is named in the caption or if the motion contains other unredacted sensitive data. See § 6 of the Introduction in volume 1 of this manual concerning protection of sensitive data in filed documents.

NOTICE: THIS DOCUMENT
CONTAINS SENSITIVE DATA

[Caption. See § 3 of the Introduction in volume 1 of this manual.]

Motion for Severance

This Motion for Severance is filed by [name of movant], [party designation], who shows in support:

1.This is a divorce action in which a divorce of the parties, a division of their prop­erty, and provision for the conservatorship and support of their child[ren] are sought. The claim of [name of party], Intervenor, against [name] relates to [describe the nature of the inter­vening action] and constitutes a complete cause of action in and of itself and can stand alone as a separate lawsuit.

If ground for motion is improper joinder, include 2.

2.The claim of [name] against [name] relating to [describe nature of action] is improperly joined in this action, in that [describe circumstances showing improper joinder of claim, e.g., the claims involve different parties, the claims do not arise out of the same transac­tion, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences and do not involve common ques­tions of law or of fact, and the issues to be tried with respect to each claim are diverse and different].

If ground for motion is prejudice to movant, include 3.

3.It would be prejudicial and cause undue hardship, expense, and delay to [name of movant] to require [him/her] to participate in a trial of all claims joined in this action, in that [describe circumstances giving rise to prejudice, e.g., [name of movant] is prepared for trial on the cause relating to its claim and the other parties are not prepared for trial on their respective causes. Consequently, the trial of [name of movant]’s claim will be delayed for an undue period unless severance is ordered. This delay will prejudice [name of movant] because [his/her] action is [for grandparent possession of or access to the child[ren]/an action to recover for debt against both parties/[other description]]].

[Name of movant] prays that the Court grant this motion and order the cause of action between [name] and [name] relating to [describe cause of action] be severed, made the sub­ject of a separate suit, and assigned its own cause number on the docket of this Court.

   
[Name]
Attorney for [name of movant]
State Bar No.:
[Email address]
[Address]
[Telephone]
[Fax]

For certificate of service, see form 21-11.