Senate Judiciary hears testimony on fixing divorce law
By KELLY FAY
A commission that reviews legislation told the Senate Standing Judiciary Committee last week that a 2010 spousal maintenance law should be altered to allow for fairer and more consistent results in divorce settlements.
In a public hearing last week, the New York State Law Revision Commission and other legal experts gave testimony about the successes and failures of recent changes made to state divorce law.
The hearing focused on a study released in May 2013 by the commission, which observed the impact of the changes and made recommendations for improvement. A primary focus was the implementation of a formula used to calculate temporary spousal maintenance in an attempt to alleviate litigation and inconsistency in divorce proceedings. The formula closely resembles the standard used to determine child support payments.
"Inconsistency and unpredictability reduce the likelihood of settlement; they increase the cost of obtaining a divorce; they make a divorce proceeding — especially for low income families — very burdensome and they strain the court system," said Peter Kiernan, chair of the Law Revision Commission.
http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2013-09-30-85254.113122-Senate-Judiciary-hears-testimony-on-fixing-divorce-law.html