Metro

Former couple needs ‘divorce’ judge in TransPerfect company feud

A Manhattan judge took the rare step Thursday of appointing a former matrimonial judge to referee a business dispute — since the partners are squabbling like lovebirds.

Judge Melvin Schweitzer said he was taking the step to preserve Elizabeth Elting’s and Philip Shawe’s firm — TransPerfect, a $400 million translation company “that appears to be a marvelous success and should not be threatened in any way by the disputes.”

The business partners and former NYU classmates broke off their engagement years ago but went on to co-found the successful company that offers translations in 170 languages. Their partnership hit a rough patch when the pair tried to buy each other out last year.

Now they’re entangled in a “business divorce,” according to Elting’s attorney Ronald Greenberg.

Greenberg told Schweitzer that TransPerfect’s Park Avenue offices have become “a war zone” with accusations that Shawe hacked into Elting’s Facebook account and that Elting dug her pointy pump into Shawe’s leg.

Judge Schweitzer said he believes the ex-divorce judge Harold Beeler’s “experience and personality are very well suited for this appointment.”