File for Divorce in New York [Paperback]

Brette McWhorter Sember (Author)

Book Description

Series: File for Divorce in New York | Publication Date: November 2003

An invaluable tool for those who want to handle their own divorce, this title is also designed for those who want to gain a better understanding of the New York separation and divorce proceedings when using an attorney. Your Legal Guide to Divorce in New York includes extensive section on mediation and information regarding "parenting plans" and child custody as mandated by the federal government.

Easy-to-use, blank tear-out forms and instructions for completing the forms are included in the book.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Includes:

Uncontested and contested divorce

Child support, custody and visitation regulations

Alimony and property division

From the Back Cover

Simplify the Divorce Process

A divorce can be the most painful and expensive experience of your life. Whether you use a lawyer or not, protect yourself by getting all the information you need about divorce laws and your legal rights. Let File for Divorce in New York help you get control over this stressful time of your life.

Learn how to:
-File an Uncontested or Contested Divorce
-Protect Your Assets, Yourself and Your Children
-Save Money when Working with a Lawyer
-Negotiate Child Support and
-Visitation Agreements

Ready-to-go forms with Step-by-Step Instructions

Essential documents you need to:
-End the Marriage and Start Fresh
-Resolve Property Disputes
-Calculate Child Support
-Develop a Visitation Schedule
-And much more . . .
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Sphinx Publishing; 3 Sub edition (November 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572483512
• ISBN-13: 978-1572483514
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,473,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars File for Divorce in New York by Brette McWhorter Sember, November 21, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: File for Divorce in New York (Paperback)

This book is a total waste of money.
My partner and I labored a full 5 hours just trying to fill out some of the Forms following Ms. McWhorter's instructions.
The instructions are confusing, to say the least. In many instances they are also outdated our plainly incorrect.
We soon found ourselves on the NYCourts website for help.
We also found that some of the "Ready-to-Use Forms" are outdated and incomplete. Pages are missing. And, although you have to check items on form after form, the checkboxes are missing on most of the forms.

The next day I went to Court with the two initial forms filled out according to Ms. McWorther's instructions. A kind clerk in Help Room 116 asked me where I got those forms and where I got that book. He than gave me a FREE package with the correct Forms and Filing Instructions, which my partner and I were able to fill out within 3 hours. All of them.

Shame on Sphinx Publishing for re-printing this book, which was initially published in 1968. It was probably correct and helpful than.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy this book if you live in New York City, November 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: File for Divorce in New York (Paperback)

My wife and I agree on this one: the book is useless for an "Uncontested Divorce" thanks to incomplete instructions, an incomplete form, wrong instructions and wrong forms. One example: the author says you have to attach a certain form to every other form you submit. If you do that, the County Clerk's Office will tell you that you need to fill out just one copy of that specific form and check on it all the forms you submit. You would not be able to do so on the form in the book because it's the wrong form. And so on. For those in the city: save your money, go directly to the County Clerk at 60 Centre Street and ask for a free package of forms and instructions.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Info still worthwhile..., August 28, 2005

By 

Todd Thomas (Jamestown, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: File for Divorce in New York (Paperback)

As stated above, if you go to the pro se website or to any clerk's office, there is a packet of forms available for handling your own divorce. Many legal aid-type offices also run clinics, if they don't provide representation outright, to assist with the forms and procedures.

And just to clarify, the first edition of this book was 2003. It's the author that was issued in 1968.

While the forms are readily available, I still think this book is good for laying out the issues that need to be considered and explaining the various procedures that will be required. I'd always recommend consulting a lawyer and not going solely by one of these guides, but I think this one is useful in laying the foundation to understand the process and to work more collaboratively with your lawyer and spouse (if possible).