Is the divorce valuation "business" picking up again?

These days, it seems you can find as many reports that the recession is driving up the divorce rate as those that say the economic crisis has caused couples to delay or even decide against their own relationship crisis. At least one marital think tank has researched a wide variety of regions—from Wisconsin to Wales—over a century of data, and found, “almost without exception” that “both marriage and divorce rates tend to fall when the economy heads south and then rise when good times return.”  (Given the rise of women’s economic independence and a “companionate model” of marriage, however, the same study, Marriage and the Great Recession, concludes that the business cycle’s grip on the institution of marriage is weakening…)

We did a quick, informal search on BVLaw and found that divorce cases have indeed declined since the first part of the decade. In 2002 to 2003, for example, we found 100 appellate court decisions, which dropped to roughly 80 cases in 2005 to 2006, and then took a sharp down turn in 2007 to 2008 (22 cases) and 2008 to 2009 (18). So far this year, we’ve already reported 24 appellate decisions concerning divorce (does that bode well for the economy?) In fact, we’ll be digesting five divorce cases for this September’s BVUpdate: Two concern the valuation of law practices, two on medical practices, and one examines a variety of closely held and partnership interests, including the applicability of minority and marketability discounts.

Where can you get a complete round-up of divorce case law, plus current advice and insights from top judges, attorneys, and appraisal experts from across the country? At BVR/Morningstar’s 3^rd Annual Summit on Business Valuation in Divorce, to be held September 13^th and 14^th in Chicago, under the always candid, always comprehensive co-chair leadership of Jay Fishman and Bill Morrison, with session topics ranging from evidence to discounts to goodwill and more, which you can attend in person or via live webcast. To view the complete agenda, click here.