Grounds For Divorce

"Grounds for divorce" is the legal reason a spouse gives for filing for divorce. In most cases, simply stating "irreconcilable differences" on divorce papers will suffice. This means that one spouse views the marriage as broken beyond repair. The other spouse has very little to no say in saving the marriage.

Under no-fault divorce laws, the courts no longer ask which spouse is at fault for the problems in the marriage. Instead, they now ask couples for the grounds for divorce. Only a few states still have  fault divorce in which a spouse's behavior will be used in determining if you are granted a divorce and what benefits you will receive in the divorce settlement.

Some common "divorce grounds," available in most states, include  adultery, sexual misconduct, alcoholism, mental illness, withholding sex, and drug addiction. Adultery consists of extra-marital affairs. Sexual misconduct is defined as misconduct of a sexual nature and can include any sexual activity between a person of authority and his or her subordinate. This includes sexual harassment. Alcoholism and drug addiction are also justifiable grounds for divorce. In some cases, with alcoholism and drug addiction comes physical and emotional abuse, and acts of infidelity are common. Mental illnesses can be grounds for divorce and include mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders and many more. Finally, withholding sex can lead to divorce, and in some states, is good grounds for divorce.

If you are thinking of filing for divorce or are experiencing any of the above problems, please contact Rauseolaw. We are here to assist you through this difficult process.