Do I need a reason to divorce my spouse? 48 Answers as of August 05, 2011

No. You don't need a reason to get divorced in Washington. In other states you have to have "grounds" for divorce. In Washington, all that is required is that you are willing to swear that the marriage is "irretrievably broken." Also, the reason for the divorce, if any, does not affect the division of debts and property. What the statute says is that the court is to make what it believes is a fair and equitable division of all of the property and debts without regard to marital misconduct.

Michigan is a no fault state. It does not matter what the reason or who wants the divorce. The divorce is going to happen if one person files and the court cannot hold that against you. Good luck.

Texas recognizes irreconcilable differences so you do not have to prove your reason simply being willing to file and telling the Judge you do not want to reconcile is enough. As for division or property, there are so many rules, I could not explain them all here.

We have really gotten away from stating a specific reason for a divorce. Most jurisdictions including Indiana simply require a statement that there are irreconcilable differences. In Michigan, for instance, they say that "there has been a breakdown in the marital relations to the extent that the objects of matrimony have been destroyed and there is no reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved, and the parties will not live together as husband and wife." I think this is probably the most complete statement of why parties divorce. Your soon-to-be ex-wife cannot use it against you that you simply are unhappy in your marriage. As a general rule, property is divided by the 50-50 scale unless one parties shows a specific need over the other party, and the other party has the ability to pay. Then the scales might tip. Again, I remind you that this is the "general rule" as every case has its own merits. Good luck.

Idaho is a "no fault" state for divorce matters. You may allege only that "irreconcilable differences" exist in order to proceed with a divorce action.

Nebraska is a no fault divorce state. This means that is does not matter why you want a divorce. The reason for the divorce will have no bearing on the case at all.

No, you can state as grounds that the marriage is "irretrievably broken" - these are the no-fault grounds in Georgia.

Wisconsin does not require a reason.

Alabama has no fault divorce in which a person who is simply unhappy can divorce their spouse. However, the length of the marriage would dictate what the spouse receives out of the divorce

All that is required is a statement under oath that the marriage is irretrievably broken and why. The economics of a divorce are usually completely independent from the reason for the divorce. You should meet with an attorney to find out what your rights and obligations are if you choose to divorce.

California is a no fault state meaning the listed on divorce paperwork is irreconcilable differences. California is also a community property state which means that each party is entitled to of all property and financial accounts accumulated during the marriage regardless of who left the marriage. If there is a disparity in income between the parties, a court may also may orders for payment of spousal support where warranted. In order to receive specific information concerning your case, you should contact a family law attorney.

Florida is a no-fault state, so you do not need a specific reason to file for divorce. .

no just irretrievable breakdown (no fault need be proven) cooperation.

You do not need a reason to be file for divorce. You need to be physically separate for one year and one day and a resident of North Carolina for the previous six months to file for divorce.

Nevada is a "no fault" state - you need only allege incompatibility.

There is no reason required to file for a "no fault" divorce (other than you believing there has been an "irretrievable breakdown").

No. The reason is "irreconcilable differences."

In Georgia, you only need irreconcilable differences with no hope of reconciliation to get a divorce. A divorce based upon this grounds is considered a "no fault" divorce.

You can file for divorce on the grounds of 'irreconcilable differences lasting 6 months'. What will happen in the divorce case, whether she will get money from you, depends on your finances, her finances,

Wisconsin is a no fault divorce state. This means that one party simply wishes to be divorced and the matter will proceed. Even if the other party wants to remain married, the divorce will be granted.

You can obtain a divorce based upon "irreconcilable differences." If you are unhappy in your marriage, you can obtain a divorce, neither party has to be "at fault."

In California, a spouse does not need any reason to file for divorce, other than they want a divorce. I.e., there is a box to check off on page two of the divorce petition (form FL-100) that simply states: "irreconcilable difference." As for the second part of your question about "getting money from [you]," that question is too vague to answer. Call a local family law lawyer to discuss the particular issues that may be relevant to your case. Good luck.

To get a no-fault divorce, both parties must consent to the divorce and live 'separate and apart' for at least 6 months. If one party won't consent, then you can still get a no-fault divorce, but you must live 'separate and apart' for at least 2 years.

California is a "no fault" state. Divorce is based on irreconcilable differences.

Generally, in Georgia, a party is free to simply allege that the marriage is irretrievably broken. You should seek a divorce attorney's advice and help as soon as possible. Good luck.

Under Washington law you do not need a reason to get a divorce. You just need to be able to say that the marriage is irretrievably broken. In a divorce property will be divided, and that could mean you owing her some money to buy out her interest in some property. There could be a basis for spousal support, and if there are children there will be child support. See an attorney in your area for more information about your specific situation.

Not in Colorado. The legal requirement is only that at least one of the parties believes that "the marriage is irretrievably broken". For all practical purposes, in Colorado that is pretty the equivalent of I don't want to be married anymore. But, Colorado is a no-fault state. That means that financial decisions do not depend on why the marriage is over and all "reasons" for the divorce are irrelevant to the financial issues. There are no simplistic rules, but you can count on the requirement that all marital property will be divided fairly - that may or may not mean equally. All property you now own (e.g. pension plans, house, savings accounts, etc.) is presumed to be marital unless you can show you had it before marriage or obtained it by gift or inheritance. Whether one spouse will have to pay spousal maintenance (alimony) to the other depends on the comparison of need versus ability to pay in the overall context of the marriage. The longer the marriage, the more likely there will be a spousal support requirement. You should consult an attorney to discuss the realistic possibilities based upon an understand of all the relevant facts and circumstances in your case.

Short answer: no. More detailed answer: We have no-fault divorce in the State of Utah. All you have to allege in your divorce petition is that there are "irreconcilable differences" between you and your wife. If there was fault involved, like adultery or abuse, you could allege that. But you don't need to. The answer to your second question is more complicated, and you need to consult with an attorney to get an accurate answer to that question. If you file for divorce, your wife can counter-petition, asking for alimony, etc. Whether or not she will get that depends upon a lot of different factors, and you will need to discuss your facts and circumstances with an attorney to get a complete answer. I wish you the best!

Washington is a no fault state. You don't need a reason.

No. All states in the US are non-fault states. No reason is necessary.

In Tennessee and almost all states there is irreconcilable differences or no fault divorces but you and your spouse must have a written notarized marital dissolution agreement disposing of your real estate and personal property.

Florida is a no fault divorce state

No. Minnesota is a no fault divorce state. All that is required is that one party believes there has been an irretrievable breakdown of the marital relationship.

Georgia allows no fault divorces, so wanting a divorce is reason enough to get one. As to alimony, that depends on the finances of the parties.

Arizona is a "no fault" state, so the only grounds for divorce are that "the marriage is irretrievably broken with no reasonable prospect of reconciliation." Although she might disagree with you, she cannot stop you from divorcing her, and she cannot use your choice to divorce against you for a legal advantage (although it might affect her from an emotional standpoint, thereby making the case a little more difficult).

Wisconsin is a no fault divorce state, you only need to say the marriage is irretrievably broken to get divorced.

In the State of New Jersey, you can file for divorce on the grounds of "irreconcilable differences." You will almost certainly never be asked what those differences are or to prove them. As a very general rule of thumb, as long as you have been married for at least six months (because you must claim that the differences have been in existence for at least six months), you can file for divorce based on these grounds. If you have not yet been married six months, it is possible that waiting until you have been married for six months is your best option. This answer is intended as general education only and does not constitute legal advice. Answering this question does not form an attorney-client relationship. Details not given in the question could dramatically change the answer. You are advised to speak with an attorney licensed in the State where you want to file who has experience handling family law matters.

Florida is a no-fault divorce state. You must have "irreconcilable differences." Basically it means you don't get along any more.