There are established laws regarding the New York state divorce laws. It is important to have a basic understanding of these laws before approaching a lawyer or using any other method to get the divorce. A person can get divorce in New York on six counts. The first four grounds refer to the faults of another party like if the spouse has been imprisoned for 3 or more years, abandoned the spouse for more than one year, inhuman treatment, cruelty or adultery. In the no-fault divorce, no party is considered at fault. However, the divorce seeking spouses must have complied with any earlier judgment provisions.
Under the New York state divorce laws, the person wanting the divorce must have been living separately from the spouse for the last one year. While it is not necessary that the other spouse has been a resident of New York, one of the spouses must have been the New York resident. The law requires that the spouses seeking divorce must have been living separately for a minimum of one year period. While the law does not prohibit a person from representing oneself in the court, most legal experts recommend using a professional divorce lawyer.
There are two types of divorce proceedings followed in the New York state. There is the contested divorce while some spouses choose to go for the uncontested divorce. When the former option is selected, it means the spouses do not agree on certain issues, while the selection of latter option means the spouses agree on most of the issues concerning the divorce. There is a period of legal separation during which the spouses have to live separately even though legally they are still considered husband and wife. Generally, a New York divorce attorney charges the fee on a per hour basis which can range from $200-$500 per hour. The uncontested divorce may cost about $300-$3000.