ALBANY, NY (WROC) — New York overhauled uncontested joint divorce, with the New York State Unified Court System (UCS) announcing a simplified process at the end of January. Now, when couples agree to end their union, they can cut paperwork, costs, and stress by filing together instead of suing one another.
“We have a lot of people that attempt to try and do the divorce by themselves, and I have people call me and say, ‘We just don’t understand it.’ But this kind of simplifies it down to exactly what you have to do. It’ll benefit a lot of people who want to get a divorce done when they can’t afford to hire attorneys. They don’t need to hire them, that’s what’s going to happen here,” said Michael Belsky, partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC.
The streamlined divorce process is available whenever both parties have already agreed on financial arrangements, property division, and child custody. Spouses still have to demonstrate the ways that the marriage broke down “irretrievably” over at least a six-month period. Still, that’s much smoother than filing a lawsuit and trying to prove cruel treatment or adultery before a judge.
“The Uncontested Joint Divorce program, which allows for eligible spouses to file and sign their divorce papers jointly—without having to prove reasons for the divorce—will save divorcing couples time and money,” said Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas.
