Of course it is possible that individuals will choose to end their marriages at any time throughout the year. That said the month of January is traditionally considered as one of the most popular to do so. In fact, according to the president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, there is a surge that starts on “Divorce Monday,” and continues through the beginning of March. During that period of time the number of divorce filings increase by one-third.
There are multiple reasons attributed to the jump in divorce filings this time of year. The first is that once they file people want the divorce to be able to proceed in a timely manner. Since there is not a lot of court time available in the last two months of the year, many feel it is worthwhile to wait until court time is available before filing.
The holidays that take place during November and December have an impact on the timing of divorce filings as well. For some, celebrating the various holidays—Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s—is a difficult time of year. Adding the stress of divorce proceedings to it makes it even more difficult to handle. In addition, few want to bring pain to their families by initiating the breakup during what for many, is a time full of family based gatherings.
Whenever one decides to file for divorce, the sooner one contacts a divorce lawyer to discuss the matter, the better. An attorney who handles divorce cases can make a person aware of steps that he or she should take ahead of time to help the divorce process move as smoothly as possible.