Long Island Dominates Google Search Data for New York Divorce
A wave of divorces following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions has spread throughout New York State. Anxieties about the pandemic itself, extra time together for married couples who find they aren’t as compatible as they thought, and money woes associated with the pandemic might have frayed marital bonds. It’s also possible that some spouses already intent on divorce were waiting until the lifting of restrictions made it easier to go to court.
Long Island residents have been particularly active in their efforts to seek a new start. More than half of the Empire State municipalities that had the proportionally highest rates for divorce searches on Google are in Nassau and Suffolk counties. High incomes and active lifestyles might contribute to this, but even now, area courts are dealing with the backlog. So if you’re seeking a Long Island divorce, you might wish to make an extra effort to find a suitable alternative to litigation.
The quickest and easiest option is an uncontested divorce. If you and your spouse both want to end your marriage and can agree on all of the important issues, such as the distribution of marital property, alimony, child custody and child support, you can negotiate and consent to an agreement that a judge will likely approve and incorporate into the divorce decree.
If a purely uncontested divorce is out of the question, you might only need some skillful guidance to forge a settlement. In divorce mediation, a trained, neutral mediator with knowledge and experience in divorce issues can help you and your spouse reach consensus. The mediator won’t decide the disputed issues, although he or she may recommend potential solutions to them. As in an uncontested divorce, you and your spouse can’t reach a resolution until you both consent. From there, you can complete a marital settlement agreement for submission to the court.
Bryan L. Salamone & Associates, P.C., in Melville, New York offers low-cost divorce representation and mediation services to Long Island residents. To schedule your free initial consultation with a member of our team, call 1.631.479.3839 or contact us online.