Case Name: Barbara Bergstein, Respondent, v. Daniel Bergstein, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1996-01-30
Citations: 223 A.D.2d 505
Docket Number: 
Parties: Barbara Bergstein, Respondent, v Daniel Bergstein, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 223
Pages: 505–505

Head Matter:
Barbara Bergstein, Respondent, v Daniel Bergstein, Appellant.
[637 NYS2d 929]

Opinion:
Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Lewis Friedman, J.), entered April 14, 1995, which awarded plaintiff an additional interim attorney's fee of $40,000, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
The court properly awarded the additional interim fees during the trial of this action (see, Hinden v Hinden, 122 Misc 2d 552, 559) "to provide a rough equality in the resources available to each party" (Wolf v Wolf, 160 AD2d 555, 556, citing Hinden v Hinden, supra), especially where defendant's obstructionist conduct prolonged the litigation (Merrick v Merrick, 190 AD2d 515, 516). "The additional interim fees will be taken into account in determining the amount of the equitable distribution award at which time defendant will have ample opportunity to raise any objection as to necessity or amount of the sums expended." (Plawner v Plawner, 208 AD2d 408.) Concur—Rosenberger, J. P., Rubin, Kupferman, Nardelli and Tom, JJ.