Opinion
March 11, 1996
Appeal from the Supreme Court, Suffolk County (Fierro, J.).
Ordered that the order is reversed insofar as appealed from, with costs, and the branch of the motion which was for a bifurcated trial is denied.
Bifurcation of matrimonial actions is generally disfavored because it raises the possibilities of economic coercion, two protracted proceedings, or delay in resolving the financial issues (Campbell v Campbell, 171 A.D.2d 720; Fiorella v Fiorella, 132 A.D.2d 643). Absent concrete reasons for bifurcation, such a motion should be denied (see, Campbell v Campbell, supra, at 721). Here, the only reason the plaintiff offers is that the grounds phase would progress quickly and the equitable distribution phase would be more complicated. Such a reason does not warrant bifurcation and could well lead to a delay in resolving the financial issues. Bracken, J.P., Balletta, Thompson and Hart, JJ., concur.