New York City Divorce Statistics

As an individual going through the process, a divorce can easily seem to consume your life. For the legal system, however, your case is just one of many. It can be easy for individual cases to get lost in the shuffle — causing mistakes and unnecessary delays — unless they are closely shepherded by an experienced family law attorney.

According to the New York Department of Health, in 2011 there were more than 26,000 divorces and annulments filed in New York City alone. This accounts for almost 46 percent of the total filings in the entire state. Other statistics include:

12,410 divorces were filed based on abandonment.
12,205 were no-fault divorces.
17,971 divorces involved no minor children.
6,279 divorces involved one or two minor children.
749 divorces involved three or more minor children.
7,226 divorces involved marriages that had lasted fewer than five years.
8,545 divorces involved marriages of between five and nine years.
10,042 divorces involved marriages of 10 years of more.

With such a large number of cases and limited judicial resources dedicated to their dispositions, divorcing spouses must often wait months to get a hearing on disputed issues. That is why it is usually advantageous to resolve these issues out of court, whenever possible. Even when the parties begin with seemingly irreconcilable positions, they may be able to find common ground after some negotiation. Failing that, a neutral mediator may be able to facilitate compromise in a discreet setting and at the convenience of the parties.

As a general rule, the more issues that parties have resolved prior to going to court, the more quickly the divorce process can be concluded. An experienced family law attorney can negotiate on your behalf and help you achieve a timely and satisfying result.

Joseph R. DeMatteo