Some divorces may be happening faster, thanks to Zoom.
“There seems to be the perception the courts are closed or people don’t have access to the courts right now, but that’s totally false,” Martinez said. “The courts are 100% open, and if anything, we are getting into court faster.”
Being able to do many things on Zoom video conferencing has saved time, too. “What used to be a five-minute hearing that you’d spend an hour in court waiting for has been eliminated by these Zoom proceedings,” Martinez said.
But that hardly means the emotional toll of getting divorced right now isn’t taking a toll, she said —especially when it comes to formulating parenting plans, with so many uncertainties still surrounding the coronavirus and schooling options.
“I have been doing this for 15 years as a high-conflict parenting litigator, and I have all the stories. But anxiety levels are at an all-time high for most people,” she said. “This is some of the most hysterical behavior I’ve seen in a long time.”
“Parents are fighting over virtual or in person, they want to deny time-sharing because of these things,” she said. “How you run your household may be very different than how your parenting partner runs their household, and that’s been highlighted.”