Many people forget that going through a divorce is a legal process that can sometimes involve complex legal issues.
For example, what is a no-fault divorce? What does that mean for people, legally speaking? What makes a divorce no-fault in the first place?
Grounds of Divorce
Each state has different standards for grounds of divorce. In Maryland, there is no waiting period before a divorce gets finalized. However, residency requirements must be met first. Standard grounds for divorce include such issues as:
- Desertion
- Adultery
- Cruelty
- Incurable insanity
However, Maryland is also a state that recognizes no-fault divorce.
Defining No-Fault Divorces
What is this, exactly? By definition, no-fault divorce refers to marriages that suffer an “irretrievable breakdown”, or where a couple suffers from “irreconcilable differences”. In essence, the couple simply cannot get along, and there are no real paths toward reconciliation. The vast majority of modern-day divorces fall under this category.
No-fault divorces are also called “divorces without grounds”, which is a legally accepted reason. If uncontested, this type of divorce can take up to two or three months to finalize due to the lack of complications that a contested divorce carries with it.
Contested divorces mean that the couple simply cannot agree on matters like child support, alimony, asset division, and so on. This process can last much longer, stretching out over months or even years in some cases.
No-fault divorces do a lot to help couples get out of relationships that simply do not work for them, though. It is a good tool for many across the state who want to get out of a marriage.