Matrimonial Expert Services in New York
KWVRS provides matrimonial vocational, life care planning, and forensic economic analysis for attorneys handling cases in New York.
Matrimonial matters in New York: where they are heard
A divorce in New York is heard by the Supreme Court, as the court system's own divorce page states, and the Family Court, which hears support and custody matters, cannot grant one; the support and custody questions inside a divorce travel with it to the Supreme Court. Some counties organize a matrimonial docket of their own: the Nassau County Supreme Court in Mineola lists a Matrimonial Center on its page, and the Supreme and County Court of Westchester County in White Plains lists a Matrimonial part. Family Court orders and Supreme Court judgments are appealed to the Appellate Division of the county's department, with the Court of Appeals above it, and the federal courts, the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York among them, have no role in the divorce itself.
The question KWVRS answers in a New York matrimonial case is prospective: what a spouse can earn given education, work history, the labor market and the time out of the workforce, an opinion offered for either spouse's counsel and prepared to the Supreme Court's disclosure requirements. Attorneys confirm the governing rule for their case. The New York expert disclosure service page describes the framework.
Sources: New York State Unified Court System, Courts: the trial courts (the Supreme Court in each county, the Court of Claims, the Family Court, the Surrogate's Court, the Civil Court of the City of New York, the County and City Courts) and the appellate courts, the Appellate Division as the lower appellate court in four departments and the Court of Appeals as New York's highest court (reviewed 2026-09-14); New York State Unified Court System, CourtHelp, Divorce Basics: divorce cases are heard in the Supreme Court; the Family Court hears support and custody matters and cannot grant a divorce (reviewed 2026-09-14); New York State Unified Court System, Nassau County Supreme Court, Mineola: the Matrimonial Center the page lists (reviewed 2026-09-14); New York State Unified Court System, Supreme and County Court of Westchester County, White Plains: the Matrimonial and Medical Malpractice parts the page lists (reviewed 2026-09-14); United States District Court for the Southern District of New York: counties and hearing locations (Manhattan, White Plains and Poughkeepsie) (reviewed 2026-09-14); United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York: counties and courthouses (Brooklyn and Central Islip) (reviewed 2026-09-14)
Overview
Matrimonial vocational evaluations quantify earning capacity for support and maintenance determinations, often where one spouse has been out of the workforce or is imputed an earning capacity different from actual income.
Vocational and economic impact
A vocational evaluation reconstructs the spouse's earning capacity based on education, training, work history, and local labor market conditions, addressing any re-entry timeline and retraining needs.
Exposure is defined by jurisdictional support formulas applied to imputed or actual income. Vocational opinions can significantly affect temporary and permanent support determinations.
New York courts and expert standards
Matrimonial matters in New York are litigated in the state's trial courts, with vocational, life care planning, and economic testimony evaluated under New York's expert evidence standard. KWVRS prepares reports and testimony that account for these requirements.
Where these cases are heard
- Supreme Court - General jurisdiction trial court (confusingly named); handles major civil cases and felonies; one in each county
- County Court - Outside NYC; handles felonies and civil cases up to $25,000
- Family Court - Matters involving children and families; custody, support, neglect, juvenile delinquency
Highest court: Court of Appeals. Federal venues: S.D.N.Y., E.D.N.Y., N.D.N.Y., W.D.N.Y..
Attorney guides for matrimonial cases
Other case types in New York
Frequently Asked Questions
Which New York court hears a divorce that needs an earning capacity opinion?
The Supreme Court of the county with venue hears the divorce and the support questions inside it; the Family Court hears support and custody matters on their own but cannot grant a divorce. The vocational expert's report on a spouse's earning capacity is disclosed under the Supreme Court's matrimonial procedure.
Can either spouse's counsel retain KWVRS in a New York divorce?
Yes. The evaluation answers the same question for whichever side retains it: what the spouse can earn, supported by education, work history, transferable skills and the wage data for the region where the spouse lives and works. The opinion is neutral as to the parties and is prepared to the Supreme Court's disclosure requirements.
References
- BLS Occupational Employment StatisticsGovernment
- O*NET OnLineGovernment
- Census Bureau - Educational Attainment & EarningsGovernment
Ready to Get Started on matrimonial cases in New York?
Contact KWVRS to discuss scope, timing, and the deliverables appropriate to the matter. Plaintiff and defense.