Divorce
or dissolution of marriage
is the final termination of a marriage, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between two persons. In most countries, divorce requires the sanction of a judge or other authority in a legal process to complete a divorce.
In western countries, a divorce does not declare a marriage null and void, as in an annulment, but divorce cancels the marital status of the parties. Where monogamy is law, this allows each to marry another. Where polygamy is legal, this allows the woman to marry another.
Divorce laws vary considerably around the world. Divorce is not permitted in some countries, such as in Malta and in the Philippines, though an annulment is permitted.
The legal process for divorce may also involve issues of spousal support, child custody, child support, distribution of property and division of debt, though these matters are usually only ancillary or consequential to the dissolution of the marriage.
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Western law
In some Western jurisdictions divorce does not require a party to claim fault of their partner that leads to the breakdown of marriage. But even in jurisdictions which have adopted the "no fault" principle in divorce proceedings, a court may still take into account the behaviour of the parties when dividing property, debts, evaluating custody, and support.
In most jurisdictions, a divorce must be certified by a
court of law to become effective. The terms of the divorce are usually determined by the court, though they may take into account
prenuptial agreements or
postnuptial agreements, or simply ratify terms that the spouses may have agreed to privately. In the absence of agreement, a contested divorce may be stressful to the spouses and lead to expensive
litigation. Less adversarial approaches to divorce settlements have recently emerged, such as
mediation and
collaborative divorce, which negotiate mutually acceptable resolution to conflicts. In some other countries, like
Portugal, when the spouses agree to divorce and to the terms of the divorce, it can be certified by a non judiciary administrative entity, where also can be served an
Electronic Divorce since March 2008. The effect of a divorce is that both parties are free to marry again. (see
bigamy)
In cases involving children, governments have a pressing interest in ensuring that disputes between parents do not spill over into the family courts. One way of doing this is through the encouragement of a
parenting plan. In the
United States, all states now require parents to file a
parenting plan when they legally separate or divorce.
The subject of divorce as a social phenomenon is an important research topic in
sociology. In many developed countries, divorce rates increased markedly during the twentieth century. Among the nations in which divorce has become commonplace are the
United States, the
United Kingdom,
Canada,
Germany, and
Scandinavia.
Japan and
Italy retain a lower divorce rate, and it has decreased recently.
Types of divorce
Though divorce laws vary between
jurisdiction, there are two basic approaches to divorce: fault based and no-fault based. However, even in some jurisdictions that do not require a party to claim fault of their partner, a court may still take into account the behavior of the parties when dividing property, debts, evaluating custody, and support.
Laws vary as to the waiting period before a divorce is effective. Also, residency requirements vary. However, issues of division of property are typically determined by the law of the jurisdiction in which the property is located.
No-fault divorce
Under a
no-fault divorce system, the dissolution of a marriage does not require an allegation or proof of fault of either party.
No-fault divorce has been in operation in
Australia since 1975. In Australia the only ground for divorce is separation (or "
deemed separation
") for 12 months. The application can be made by either party or by both parties jointly. The same holds true for
Canada and
Germany.
Forty-nine states of the United States have adopted no-fault divorce laws, with grounds for divorce including incompatibility, irreconcilable differences, and irremediable breakdown of the marriage.
In the United Kingdom, to obtain a no-fault divorce the parties must have been separated for 2 years if both parties agree, and 5 years if one party does not agree.
At-fault divorce
Prior to 1975, countries which permitted divorces also required proof by one party that the other party had committed an act incompatible to the marriage. This was termed "grounds" for divorce (popularly called "fault") and was the only way to terminate a marriage. Most jurisdictions around the world still require such proof of fault. In the United States, only
New York state still requires fault for a divorce.
Fault-based divorces can be contested and may involve allegations of
collusion of the parties, or
condonation,
connivance, or
provocation by the other party. Contested fault divorces can be expensive, and not usually practical as eventually most divorces are granted. Comparative rectitude is a doctrine used to determine which spouse is more at fault when both spouses are guilty of breaches.
Summary divorce
A summary (or simple) divorce, available in some jurisdictions, is used when spouses meet certain eligibility requirements, or can agree on key issues beforehand.
Key factors:
- Short marriage (less than 5 years)
- No children (or, in some states, they have resolved custody and set child support payments)
- Minimal or no real property (no mortgage)
- Marital property is under a threshold (around $35,000 not including vehicles)
- Each spouse's personal property is under a threshold (typically the same as marital property)
Uncontested divorce
It is estimated that upwards of 95% of divorces in the US are "uncontested," because the two parties are able to come to an agreement (either with or without lawyers/mediators/collaborative counsel) about the property, children and support issues. When the parties can agree and present the court with a fair and equitable agreement, approval of the divorce is almost guaranteed. If the two parties cannot come to an agreement, they may ask the court to decide how to split property and deal with the custody of their children.
Collaborative divorce
Collaborative divorce is becoming a popular method for divorcing couples to come to agreement on divorce issues. In a
collaborative divorce, the parties negotiate an agreed resolution with the assistance of
attorneys who are trained in the collaborative divorce process and in mediation, and often with the assistance of a neutral financial specialist and/or divorce coach(es). The parties are empowered to make their own decisions based on their own needs and interests, but with complete information and full professional support. Once the collaborative divorce starts, the lawyers are disqualified from representing the parties in a contested legal proceeding, should the
collaborative law process end prematurely. Most attorneys who practice collaborative divorce claim that it can be substantially less expensive than other divorce methods (regular divorce or mediation). However, should the parties not reach any agreements, any documents or information exchanged during the collaborative process cannot later be used in further legal proceedings, as the collaborative process is confidential proceedings. Furthermore, there are no set enforceable time lines for completion of a divorce using collaborative divorce.
Mediated divorce
Divorce mediation is an alternative to traditional divorce litigation. In a divorce mediation session, a mediator facilitates the discussion between the husband and wife by assisting with communication and providing information and suggestions to help resolve differences. At the end of the mediation process, the separating parties have typically developed a tailored divorce agreement that can be submitted to the court. Mediation sessions can include the party's attorneys or a neutral attorney or an attorney-mediator who can inform both parties of their legal rights, but does not provide advice to either, or can be conducted without attorneys. Divorce mediators may be attorneys who have experience in divorce cases. Divorce mediation can be significantly less expensive than litigation. The adherence rate to mediated agreements is much higher than that of adherence to court orders.
Always speak nicely in Front of the Children. Do not fight/argue where the children can see or hear you. Divorce is a difficult transition for parents and children. No matter how challenging your situation is, you need to understand that parents can psychologically damage their children when they scream and/or argue in their presence. Children should never have to witness their parents abusing each other. Unfortunately in a lot of cases parents have been doing this in the relationship for some time already, but now in particular during the divorce period it is even more vital to avoid. It is also very harmful for children to hear their parents arguing with each other over the phone. The children need to feel safe and loved more than ever whilst going through a family break up. Think of it as a game – the first person who yells/swears loses. If you cannot control your temper and feelings than you need to learn how to (e.g. via the Single Parents University Program http://singleparentsuniversity.com/ssteps.html or a Psychologist)or utilize a mediator to facilitate amicable discussions. A mediator can be a mutual friend you both respect or professional mediators allowing you to sort through child arrangements and settlement of material items and finances.
"Just remember, it's not about winning the fight, it's about finding the most amicable solution that will provide the best possible environment for your children" Paul Rosenberg -Co Founder Single Parents University (SPU)
Statistics
United States
In 2008, 46% of all marriages involve a remarriage for one or both spouses. It is estimated that 40% of all marriages have ended in divorce as of 2008.
[1]
United Kingdom
The rate of divorce in the UK is dropping. In 2007 the divorce rate in England and Wales was recorded at 11.9 people per every 1000 of the married population. This is the lowest divorce rate recorded since 1981.
[2]
History
In contrast to the
Western world where divorce was relatively uncommon until modern times, divorce was a common occurrence in at least two pre-modern societies:
Japan and the
Muslim world.
Mesopotamia
Divorce existed in
antiquity, dating at least back to ancient
Mesopotamia.
Greco-Roman culture
The
ancient Athenians liberally allowed divorce, but the person requesting divorce had to submit the request to a
magistrate, and the magistrate could determine whether the reasons given were sufficient.
Divorce was rare in early Roman culture but as their
empire grew in power and authority
Roman civil law embraced the maxim, “matrimonia debent esse libera” ("marriages ought to be free"), and either husband or wife could renounce the marriage at will. Though civil authority rarely intervened in divorces, social and familial taboos guaranteed that divorce occurred only after serious circumspection.
Japan
In 19th century Japan, at least one in eight marriages ended in divorce.
India
In India, Divorce and remarriage are legal; however Indian society views a divorced woman harsher than a divorced man. Problems of a divorced woman involve finance, parental support, dowry, child support, security, social stigma and remarriage.
Often divorced men seek unmarried girls from poorer background for remarriage. With law favoring custody of children with the mother, it becomes increasingly difficult for a divorced woman to remarry.
Islam
In
Islamic law and
marital jurisprudence, divorce is accepted and referred to as
talaq
.
[3] However, divorce is considered the most hated of all lawful things in the sight of Allah.
[4]
In the
medieval Islamic world and the
Ottoman Empire, the rate of divorce was higher than it is today in the modern
Middle East, which now has generally low rates of divorce.
[5] In 15th century
Egypt,
Al-Sakhawi recorded the marital history of 500
women, the largest
sample on marriage in the
Middle Ages, and found that at least a third of all women in the
Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt and
Syria married more than once, with many marrying three or more times. According to Al-Sakhawi, as many as three out of ten marriages in 15th century
Cairo ended in divorce.
[6] In the early 20th century, some villages in western
Java and the
Malay peninsula had divorce rates as high as 70%.
[
]
See also
- Christian views of divorce
- Divorce demography
- Divorce of same-sex couples — legal aspects, divorce rates
- Divorce party
- Fear of commitment
- Implications of divorce
- Law and divorce around the world
- Legal separation
- Men's rights
- Relationship counseling
- Religion and divorce
- Wife selling
References
- Blended families can overcome daunting odds
- http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=170
- *"Talak". ''Encyclopaedia of Islam''
- Sunan Abu Dawud, no. 2178
- Marriage, Money and Divorce in Medieval Islamic Society
- Marriage, Money and Divorce in Medieval Islamic Society