Hugh Jackman, 56, and Deborra-Lee Furness, 69, finalized their divorce on June 12, 2026, in Suffolk County Supreme Court — just 16 days after Furness filed the petition on May 27, according to Fox News. For New York residents, the speed signals an uncontested, fully-settled divorce under the state's no-fault statute, where no spouse must prove wrongdoing to dissolve a 27-year marriage.
Key Facts
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| What happened | Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness finalized their divorce |
| When | Petition filed May 27, 2026; finalized June 12, 2026 (16 days) |
| Where | Suffolk County Supreme Court, New York |
| Who's affected | The couple, married 27 years, separated September 2023 |
| Key statute | N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 170(7) (no-fault ground) |
| Impact | Demonstrates how uncontested NY divorces resolve in weeks, not years |
Why this matters legally
The 16-day turnaround proves this divorce was uncontested and pre-negotiated, not litigated. In New York, a contested divorce involving asset division, support, and a 27-year marriage typically takes 12 to 18 months. A resolution this fast means Jackman and Furness signed a settlement agreement resolving every issue — property, support, and any other terms — before the petition ever reached the court.
Under N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 170(7), enacted in 2010, either spouse can obtain a divorce simply by swearing under oath that the marriage has been "irretrievably broken" for at least six months. New York was the last state in the nation to adopt no-fault divorce, ending a 200-year requirement that one spouse prove fault such as adultery or cruelty. Because the couple separated in September 2023, the six-month threshold was satisfied many times over.
Furness publicly referenced a "profound wound" of "betrayal," but that emotional framing has no bearing on the legal proceeding. New York's no-fault system means betrayal, infidelity, or any other marital misconduct does not need to be proven, alleged, or litigated. The court does not assign blame. This separation of emotional grievance from legal process is precisely why amicable-but-painful divorces can still resolve quickly.
How New York law handles this
New York grants no-fault divorces under N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 170(7), requiring only a sworn statement that the marriage has been irretrievably broken for six months or more. The statute eliminated fault as a barrier, but a divorce cannot be finalized until all ancillary issues — equitable distribution, spousal maintenance, and child-related terms — are fully resolved, either by agreement or by the court.
New York is an equitable distribution state under N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 236, Part B. Marital property is divided fairly, though not necessarily 50/50, based on factors including the length of the marriage, each spouse's income and assets, and contributions to the marriage. For a 27-year union, courts presume both spouses contributed substantially, making a near-equal division common — but the statute lets couples negotiate their own settlement, which is exactly what happened here. A signed agreement overrides the court's default analysis.
Spousal maintenance in New York follows the formula in N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 236, Part B(6), which uses statutory income guidelines and a duration schedule tied to marriage length. For marriages exceeding 20 years, the advisory duration ranges from 35% to 50% of the marriage's length. Couples may waive or modify maintenance by agreement, and high-net-worth spouses routinely do so privately rather than apply the formula.
The reported "medical child support" and "health care" terms reflect standard New York requirements even where children are adults. Child support in New York follows the Child Support Standards Act under N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 240, which mandates that divorce decrees address health insurance and unreimbursed medical costs. Suffolk County's placement in the state court system means the matter proceeded through the Supreme Court, New York's trial-level court with jurisdiction over divorce.
The speed also reflects procedure: an uncontested divorce in New York requires no court appearance once papers are properly filed. A judge reviews the settlement and signs the judgment, often within days. A contested case, by contrast, requires preliminary conferences, discovery, and potentially trial — the source of the multi-month timelines most divorcing New Yorkers experience.
Practical takeaways
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Settle before you file. The 16-day finalization happened because every issue was resolved in advance. New York couples who negotiate a complete settlement agreement before filing convert a year-long process into a weeks-long one.
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No-fault means no blame required. Under N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 170(7), you never have to prove your spouse did anything wrong. A sworn statement that the marriage is irretrievably broken for six months is legally sufficient, regardless of the emotional reality.
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Long marriages favor equitable, near-equal division. For a 27-year marriage, N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 236 presumes substantial mutual contribution. Know that the longer the marriage, the more likely a court would split marital assets close to evenly absent an agreement.
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Address health care and medical costs explicitly. New York divorce judgments must resolve health insurance and unreimbursed medical expenses under N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 240. Build these terms into your settlement to avoid post-decree disputes.
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Choose the uncontested path when possible. Uncontested New York divorces require no court appearance and cost a fraction of litigated cases. If you and your spouse agree on terms, the system is built to move fast.
If you are facing divorce in New York and want to understand how the state's no-fault law and equitable distribution rules apply to your situation, connecting with a qualified New York family law attorney can help you evaluate whether an uncontested resolution is realistic for you.
This article discusses recent news and provides general legal commentary. It does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. Consult a qualified family law attorney for advice specific to your situation.