However it may be that you define the word "romance," it is undeniable that romance runs through the river that is the divorce process. On a superficial level, that juxtaposition may seem incomprehensible, but even the divorce lawyer that is half paying attention knows full well that romance is part and parcel of the divorce story.

Of course, there are always exceptions. Some divorcing persons decree that they will never partake in any romantic relationships for the rest of time. Many, however, cannot resist the allure of togetherness, and that brings us to the topic of dating during divorce, and more specifically, the Appellate Division, First Department's recent decision in Allen v. Allen, 2023 N.Y. Slip Op. 06588 (N.Y. App. Div. 2023).

This author was admittedly surprised at the sheer volume of articles, blogs, and punditry online about the topic of dating during divorce, and whether or not it is "allowed" in New York while a divorce action is pending. A Google search of "can you date during divorce in New York" yields an affirmative answer but with caveats and warnings of potentially entering the Gates of Hades.