Levine v. Wiss & Co.

The opinion of the court was delivered by

HANDLER, J.

This case raises the question of whether an accountant, selected by the litigants in a contested matrimonial case and appointed by the court to act as an “impartial expert” in rendering a binding valuation of a business asset for purposes of equitable distribution, should be held liable for negligence in deviating from accepted standards applicable to the accounting profession.

I

The parties are in agreement as to the relevant facts. Grace Levine, upon filing for divorce from Bernard Levine, moved that an impartial expert be appointed by the…