Attorneys navigating new territory as pandemic pushes some couples apart
A Valley attorney says divorce proceedings are happening faster than they were before the pandemic.
and last updated 2021-02-18 09:19:01-05
PHOENIX â From financial stress to spending more time at home, the COVID-19 pandemic has tested relationships over the past year and, in some cases, pushed couples apart. While civil court causes were initially paused or delayed, Valley attorney Helen Davis with The Cavanagh Law Firm said divorce proceedings are now happening virtually and â in part, due to backlog â even faster than before.
âOne of the, I think, impacts of this pandemic has been to force people to really reflect on their lives ⦠where their lives have been, where their lives are going, and what they want their lives to look like,â she told ABC15.
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) The longer the pandemic stretches, the more strain it s putting on relationships. Attorneys are seeing a spike in consultations and divorce filings. Mental health is an important aspect of Building A Better Bay Area.
Rare are couples who don t encounter a few relationship issues, but 10 months into the pandemic, divorce attorneys say some couples have reached a breaking point. The consultations have increased at least by 50% if not more. I would say the amount of clients who retain and file for divorce have increased by a third, said James Hoover of the Hoover Krepelka family law firm in San Jose.