NYC - Walking the first step...

[zenmaster]

Hi guys,

Been lurking and learning a lot. Read the List too. I'll get straight to the point:

My situation:

Married less than 1 yr.
Less than $1,000 joint assets
No joint debt
No kids
She works and we make comparable income
We both moved out of the apartment.

Should be a no brainer simple divorce case, I filed for no-fault uncontested divorce few months ago. STBX became a NJ, enlisted a friend who's been harassing everyone, myself, my parents, friends, extended family, church, etc. She hired a lawyer who's an equal NJ, attempting to seek assets for every possible way. Don't worry, I know she's not entitled to anything. Worse case, 50% of the joint assets. STBX lawyer turned down my 50% of joint assets offer for settlement.

Question:

Does anyone know any good lawyer in NYC area who won't respond to nonsense tactics, won't charge me an arm and a leg, makes sure all the paperwork is in order, help with terminating the harassment? I know this is a super simple case complicated by the NJ. Also, care to share who NOT to use as well? Thanks!

[Fatheroffour]

You'd get off cheaper to give her all the joint assets for a signed deal.

[BubbaGumpShrimp]

Less than $1,000 in joint assets? Seriously...just give her EVERYTHING, sign the deal, and walk away. The alternative is to spend thousands fighting over nothing like I'm having to do. If you have to go the contested route (which it's sounding like)...you're both looking at shelling out $5k+ for attorneys to gain jack $h1t.

"Don't worry....I know she's not entitled to anything?" Sorry to say that you're wrong there. If she wants to be a NJ, she'll ask for (and get) 50% of your retirement account (i.e. 401k) gains that were realized during the course of your marriage.

As a point of reference for you...I too was married less than a year. I spoke with FIVE lawyers. All said "this will be a piece of cake," "no big deal," "she's not entitled to anything," etc. I'm sorry to say that none of their comments...though probably accurate in many cases...account for the NJ factor.

My situation. No kids. I have a house (pre-marital). There's a car in both of our names. I had to leave because in VA...there was literally no way that I was going to get her out of the house early on (had to get a pendente lite judgment to get awarded the house...she's still in it though).

I'm going on five months separated. I paid for EVERYTHING for three months...and 90%+ for the past 1.5. I was awarded spousal support, but have yet to receive a cent. That's the Reader's Digest/short version.

I've already shelled out $4,500 in attorney fees. Who knows what the final damage will be.

Seriously...figure out what she wants and give it to her to make her go away. You might say "this is silly...neither of us have a pot to piss in," but you really have no idea what you're looking at here if she is really wanting to be a NJ and found an attorney that wants to rack up billable hours.

[Chosen2Dad]

we all want to be in your shoes...give her 500 bucks and tell her to stfu!

[zenmaster]

What she wants is:

1. Humiliate me in public
2. Let the world know that's she's right regardless of all the wrong things she's done. Severe narcissistic personality disorder which is why I filed for divorce. She did a great job hiding that from me while we were dating. Clues were there but I was a fool in love and brushed it off as wedding jitters. Then it showed up in full force after we tied the knot.
3. Seeking alimony -- 50% of my future earnings, 50% of my business, seeking money from my license, seeking money from my parents, yadda yadda yadda. As another words, she's shooting for the impossible. Already offered all assets and extra cash and she won't sign.

She's not going to settle, and more likely we need to go to court. Hence the reason I asked my question in the first place.

Anyone knows any good lawyers in NYC or tell me who to avoid as well?

[Anything4Her]

She works and we make comparable income

3. Seeking alimony -- 50% of my future earnings, 50% of my business, seeking money from my license, seeking money from my parents, yadda yadda yadda. As another words, she's shooting for the impossible.

Yeah, you got a nut job on your hands. Don't spend a lot of money on your lawyer, just the bare minimum. She has no case.

[BubbaGumpShrimp]

What she wants is:

1. Humiliate me in public
2. Let the world know that's she's right regardless of all the wrong things she's done. Severe narcissistic personality disorder which is why I filed for divorce. She did a great job hiding that from me while we were dating. Clues were there but I was a fool in love and brushed it off as wedding jitters. Then it showed up in full force after we tied the knot.
3. Seeking alimony -- 50% of my future earnings, 50% of my business, seeking money from my license, seeking money from my parents, yadda yadda yadda. As another words, she's shooting for the impossible. Already offered all assets and extra cash and she won't sign.

She's not going to settle, and more likely we need to go to court. Hence the reason I asked my question in the first place.

Anyone knows any good lawyers in NYC or tell me who to avoid as well?

That sucks....I'm sorry to hear that man. Just make sure that you invest in a good attorney. Get that right the first time (I didn't). That will be the difference between her getting treated like a NJ by the Judge (i.e. the treatment my NJ and her attorney got in court), or you getting screwed.

Just do what you can to ignore her attempt to crucify you in the court of public opinion. If you keep your head, the people that matter will be able to see who is the nutcase in this situation. That includes judges...the one I had was very reasonable. Given the length of the marriage and the lack of assets, you should prevail (as you said). Good luck.

[jamessick]

Make sure to ask for fees, just for the fun of it too.