Valentine's Day also when divorces spike

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SEATTLE, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Valentine's Day is a time for romance, but it is also when U.S. married couples seek divorce lawyers and information on calling it quits, a legal Web site says.

Avvo.com, which offers free ratings and profiles for the vast majority of licensed U.S. lawyers, says the number of Americans seeking divorce lawyers and divorce-related information skyrockets around Valentine's Day.

"Over the past two years we've seen an average increase of 40 percent in the number of requests for divorce lawyers around Valentine's Day, compared to the previous six months," Mark Britton, founder and chief executive officer of Avvo.com, says in a statement.

In addition, the number of questions concerning divorce soared 36 percent during this same time, Britton says.

"We see a definite spike in divorce cases around Valentine's Day," Cary Cheifetz a New Jersey divorce attorney says.

"I see it as a combination of cabin fever, people waiting until after the holidays and people waiting until they know what their spouse's bonus and income situation will be in the New Year."