One of the most frequently asked questions that I am asked by new clients is “How long does a NY uncontested divorce take?”

My answer is that it depends.

How long an uncontested divorce takes in New York depends on the following factors, all of which are completely out of our control:

1. How fast you get us the information that we need (which we ask on our simple intake form)
2. Whether your spouse cooperates in the process by signing the papers promptly
3. How backlogged the Court and County Clerk’s Office is

Like I said, all of these factors are completely out of our control.  Right now we are seeing a fast turn around time in New York County, but the downside is that the County Clerk is extremely backed up.

We are getting divorces signed by Judges, but the standard wait time until the judgment gets filed with the County Clerk and becomes public record is eight to twelve weeks.  You are technically divorced, but can’t run out and get remarried because the divorce is not public record yet.

Anyway the short answer is that we are seeing uncontested divorces taking on average two to five months depending on the various factors listed above.

If you are considering an NY uncontested divorce, call us to schedule a free consultation with one of our New York uncontested divorce lawyers at (866) 830-2064.

The New York State legislature have finally passed a bill that will soon put into effect a new long-awaited law permitting no-fault divorce in New York State.  The New York Times, amongst others, eagerly reported the breaking news yesterday.

As a New York divorce law firm, we have seen the many problems that New York not permitting no-fault divorce has caused.  Keeping spouses imprisoned in unhappy marriages.  Encouraging people to perjur themselves so that they could obtain relief from a broken marriage.

Finally, New York has woken up to the many cries for reform regarding no-fault divorce law.  Soon, if you are unhappy in your marriage you can get divorced without having to allege fault grounds for divorce such as adultery, abandonment, imprisonment, cessation of sexual relations and so on…

Our law firm prides itself on being on the cutting edge of New York no fault divorce law.  We have our finger on the pulse of New York divorce reform so that we can help our clients achieve the results they desire.

If you would like to learn more about whether you qualify for a New York no fault divorce, please contact our no fault divorce hotline at (866) 830-2064 to schedule your free initial phone consultation with one of our New York no fault divorce lawyers.

New York courts have recently begun to issue same sex divorces.  This is a new and exciting area of law that our New York same sex divorce law firm has been well entrenched in since its outset.

Although New York State law does not allow same sex gay or lesbian couples to get married in New York, New York courts have begun to issue same sex gay and lesbian divorces.

Our New York gay and lesbian divorce lawyers has successfully handled numerous same sex gay and lesbian divorces since the New York courts have started to issue the dissolution of same sex marriages.

If you and your partner were officially married in another state or country, as long as you meet New York’s divorce residency requirements, they will issue you a same sex divorce.

If you would like more information on New York same sex gay and lesbian divorce, call our law firm today to schedule your free initial phone consultation.  Our direct toll-free number is (866) 830-2064.

I often am asked by clients whether a social security number is required to get a New York divorce.  The short answer is yes and no.

Confusing, right?  Let me explain…

Even if you are an undocumented immigrant (i.e., an illegal alien), you can still get a New York divorce.  The court will not alert the government of your undocumented status.  So you are safe from deportation and can still get a New York divorce.  Let me repeat, you will not be deported and can get a New York uncontested divorce.

We will prepare a special affidavit for this situation, in which you swear to not have a social security number.  That is all that will be required for you to get your New York uncontested divorce.

If you or your spouse does have a social security number, you do need to provide it to the court.  We run across many instances where clients do not know their spouse’s or partner’s social security number and have no way of getting it.  This is a problem and the New York courts will reject your divorce without it.

If you are an undocumented immigrant or illegal alien and would like to learn more about obtaining a New York divorce, contact our law office for a free initial consultation.  Our toll-free number is (866) 830-2064…

I was contacted by a potential client today who had an all too familiar sob story.  His “wife” had hired someone in Mexico to do a fast Mexican divorce.  She was given final papers.  She got remarried.

Years later her supposedly ex-husband wants to get remarried and to make a long story short, the Mexican Consulate informed them that the divorce was not valid.  They had been scammed.

Now I have to explain to this poor gentleman on the phone that he is not actually married.  His marriage is void as per public policy, which is a fancy way of saying that he isn’t married.

His wife needs to hire a New York licensed attorney to do her divorce, rather than some scam artist in Mexico.  Once she gets a valid legally binding divorce, then she can marry the gentleman on the phone, who she thinks she is married to.

To avoid a mess like this, contact our law office today to schedule a free initial divorce consultation at (866) 830-2064.

The New York Times recently released an op-ed articles discussing Sandra Bullock’s divorce from Jesse James.  The author used Sandra Bullock’s divorce from her adulterous husband and her recent Academy Award for Best Actress to pose a philosophical question about happiness.  I personally thought the article was in bad taste.

Sandra Bullock is obviously going through a very challenging personal time and she is very emotionally vulnerable.  Catching your husband cheating on you is an extremely painful shock.

More recent news reports recount Jesse James fleeing a sex addiction rehab center, Sierra Tuscon, after Bullock refused his phone call.  Allegedly he wants to save the marriage, but Bullock has decided to call it quits.

Luckily Sandra Bullock had a pre-nuptial agreement that protected her assets in case of divorce.

If you have recently caught your spouse committing adultery and are considering a New York divorce, please contact The Law Office of David Centeno, PLLC for a free initial consultation. (866) 830-2064.

Our law firm also offers pre-nuptial agreements, which can help protect your assets in the case of a divorce.  For a free initial pre-nuptial agreement consultation call (866) 830-2064.

The New York Times just published an op-ed articles discussing how no-fault divorce is the best way to protect children (and all people involved) from the harmful consequences of divorce.  Unfortunately, New York is the only state in the nation that does not allow no-fault divorce, except under the narrow exception of what is called a conversion divorce where the parties had filed a separation agreement with the court and waited a year.

The article’s author, Ruth Bettleheim, is a marriage and family therapist.  She cites some interesting pro-divorce (or at least pro-uncontested divorce) research that challenges the widely held preconception that children of divorced families are worse off than their non-divorced home peers.  The studies show that this preconceived notion is false.  It actually shows that children of divorced homes are no worse off than their non-divorced home peers, and actually may become more resilient from enduring the divorce process.

Bettleheim also discusses how fault based divorce litigation and child custody battles are horrible for childrens’ well being.  She states that the no-fault (or New York uncontested divorce) way of going about divorce is far more beneficial to children and all people involved.

If you would like to learn if a New York uncontested divorce is a viable option for you and your family, please contact The Law Office of David Centeno, PLLC at our toll-free number (866) 830-2064 now to schedule your free divorce consultation.

Negotiating favorable divorce settlements is an art form.  It takes a high degree of skill and experience to perfect.  A lawyer entering a divorce negotiation not only needs to have a mastery of the law but needs to be skilled in the art of negotiation.  Hiring the right attorney to represent you through divorce negotiations can potentially save you thousands of dollars in your divorce.

A good negotiator can negotiate directly with your spouse if he or she has not yet retained an attorney.  If your spouse has hired an attorney, then you definitely want to have an attorney of your own to negotiate directly with the opposing attorney.  Remember, your spouse’s lawyer represents them not you.  They have their vest interest in mind, not yours.  Don’t fall for a smooth lawyer who claims that he or she has your best interest in mind too.  This is not only a lie, but is unethical…

Having a divorce lawyer on your side during any negotiation process is a plus.  An attorney can be persuasive and achieve results that you didn’t even know were possible.  There is no guarantee that your lawyer will be able to achieve the exact results that you desire, but you certainly will have a better chance at achieving such results with him or her on your side.

A good negotiator can potentially convince your spouse:

• that an uncontested divorce is the best way to go
• to pay you spousal maintenance to avoid a costly contested divorce
• that a compromise is necessary regarding child custody and visitation
• that you should receive a certain asset to avoid costly litigation
• that your spouse should take responsibility for a certain liability or debt thereby releasing you from such responsibility
• that you and your spouse are better off reaching an agreed upon settlement outside of court than leave the results up to the court

If you think that your impending divorce could benefit from having a negotiating lawyer on your side, please call our toll-free number (866) 830-2064 to schedule your free divorce consultation now…

I get phone calls every day where a woman or man calls with the following type of story.  I hate getting these calls.  Not because we choose not to represent them, but because I tell them the truth, the harsh reality of New York divorce law, and the truth really sucks… (pardon my language, but its true)

Monique gets served with divorce papers from her husband Tommy’s attorney.  She reads the uppercase words explaining the documents: SUMMONS WITH NOTICE.  The papers go on to state that Tommy is alleging that Monique abandoned him and treated him in a cruel and inhuman manner.

Wait a minute… “He abandoned me!” she exclaims outloud.  “Cruel and what, total b.s.” she thinks.

Tommy had just agreed with Monique that their most affordable option would be to get an uncontested divorce.  Now, unknown to Monique, Tommy’s mother is footing his divorce attorney bill and is encouraging him to “protect himself.”

Monique finds herself in a situation which is all too common.  Tommy hasn’t been giving her any money since he took off last October. She can’t afford the average contested divorce attorney retainer of $4,500.00.  If she doesn’t respond Tommy will get a default judgment against her and she will lose all her legal rights.  The clock is ticking…

Monique finds our law firm’s number on Google by typing in “affordable uncontested divorce ny.”  She sets up a free consultation and the first thing she wants to know is what she should she do.  Does she qualify for an uncontested divorce?

This is the situation that I hate.  The harsh reality is:

• her divorce was filed against her in a contested manner
• she needs to come up with the money to hire a contested divorce attorney
• we might be able to help her, but her divorce will not cost the usual $499 that we charge for an uncontested divorce
• her husband is likely looking to screw her at every turn and she needs legal representation to protect her rights
• she needs a lawyer in order to file an Order to Show Cause for Pendente Lite Relief to request that the court order Tommy to pay her spousal support and pay her attorney’s fees

If it is in any way possible, we try to work with you if you find yourself in this situation and cannot afford a contested divorce attorney’s retainer fee.

Unfortunately, whether your divorce is contested versus uncontested is not your choice alone.  Your spouse must be on board…

If you are in a similar situation, please call our law office for your free divorce consultation to learn how we can help you in an affordable manner. (866) 830-2064.

Our law office continues to strive to make the legal system accessible to you, regardless of your current financial situation.  With the economy putting the hard press on all of us, I try to be as flexible as possible.  Not everyone needs to get divorced has the same financial flexibility as Tiger Woods or John Edwards whose names have recently been scattered across divorce news.

Our uncontested divorce rate starts at just $499 and is one of the most reasonable divorce fees in all New York State.  Our usual payment plan option for our already affordable uncontested divorce package is that we accept 50% up front and require the remainder before we officially file your divorce documents with the court.

If you feel that your situation is deserving of a more flexible payment plan, by all means let us know.  We are willing to work with you within limits.  Again, we will just hold off on officially filing your divorce documents until we are paid in full.

These arrangements allow us to put food on our families’ tables while giving you the leeway to so the same.  Everyone is happier this way.

If you are not sure if you can afford a New York uncontested divorce, contact our law office at (866) 830-2064 to set up your free divorce consultation today…