Family Law Blog

Are Divorces Declining Due to the Economy?

By Denver Divorce Lawyer on May 6, 2009

An article on the website sacbee.com reported on April 28, 2009 that divorce filings across the country have slipped considerably during 2008 from the previous year. Hal Bartholomew, president-elect of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers’ Northern California chapter said, “I’m not surprised. Most divorce lawyers across the country are seeing a drop in new-client calls, people are postponing the decision to divorce.” Officials believe that couples are trying to get by, if not for the kids, but for the house. It is still unclear what the lasting effects of the current recession will be, but the divorce rates did plunge during the Depression.

On the other hand, some may actually be using the recession as an excuse to divorce. Michael Baggett, pastor at Bayside Church in Roseville said, “I just got off the phone with a guy who’d tell you that this recession has made his wife’s decision to divorce him easier. Her attitude is, I’m losing the house anyway, so I might as well lose you.”

In contrast, Jill Brooke, editor of firstwivesworld.com said, “I recently counseled somebody who was deliberating whether to wait out the housing market. And she said, ‘I’ve lived in a loveless marriage for 12 years. What’s one more year?’ People are pressing the pause button on their marriages but not necessarily the delete button.

A large amount of couples cannot afford to divorce during this economic climate. There is a $320.00 filing fee, along with lawyers’ fees that range well into five figures for lengthy and difficult cases. Counseling numbers have increased considerably in an attempt to get couples to reconcile.

If you are considering a divorce in the state of Colorado the skilled Denver divorce attorneys at Kaplan Law can assist you. We offer initial consultations at 50 percent off our normal hourly rates for up to one hour. This makes consulting with an experienced divorce attorney in Denver more affordable. Please call 1-877-527-5260 today.