Married to ex spouse for 9 yrs 9 months. Grounds granted for divorce in the state of New Jersey, extreme physical cruelty. Are there any exceptions to the 10 yr. rule to collect his Social Security based on the circumstances?

Hi. No. You must have been married for at least 10 years to be able to qualify for divorced spousal benefits. The cause of the divorce is irrelevant (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300202005).

Best, Jerry