Jaspan Schlesinger LLP today announced the launch of a divorce evaluation mediation-arbitration practice headed by former New York State Supreme Court Justice Anthony J. Falanga, who joined the Firm earlier this year. The new practice is the only such service offered by a Long Island law firm that is managed by a former justice from the matrimonial bench. At the time of his retirement, Justice Falanga was the longest-serving matrimonial judge in New York State, with over four decades of experience in matrimonial practice and judicial law.
“I have adjudicated thousands of cases from the bench and have an intimate appreciation of the extreme toll that divorce litigation takes on all concerned parties. Mediation and arbitration both provide distinct advantages over litigation, including the ability to achieve a resolution often years earlier than is likely in trial Court. This substantially ameliorates the enormous financial and emotional costs that come with divorce proceedings, while giving the parties the benefit of a realistic, insightful and neutral opinion from an experienced jurist,” Judge Falanga said.
There are approximately 1650 contested matrimonial cases and 320 post-judgment matters currently pending in Nassau County. In Suffolk County, more than 1900 contested matrimonial cases are pending, according to the New York State Unified Court System.
“The backlog of divorce cases on Long Island significantly exacerbates an already painful experience for litigants. With early neutral evaluation, mediation and arbitration, the parties can avoid the lengthy process of discovery, while benefiting from the relative speed and convenience of a private proceeding. The privacy factor also helps insulate the children to a large degree,” Judge Falanga said. “Entrusting a mediator or arbitrator who has the right experience provides a practical and impartial framework for reaching an equitable resolution with minimum pain.”
Justice Falanga joined the State Supreme Court bench in 2000, when he was inducted by college classmate United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He has also served as a Supervising Judge of the Nassau County District County Court (2004-2005) and as a Judge in the Nassau County District Court, 10th district (1995-1999). Prior to his public service, Justice Falanga was active in private practice in Nassau County for over three decades. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Georgetown Law Center.