It is generally harder and more expensive to get a divorce for fault grounds. Be sure to check your state's laws before filing for divorce.
In some states certain fault grounds present a strategic advantage. Some for example treat adultery as a basis to deny alimony.
Possible grounds for fault divorce include (not all states have all these grounds):
- Adultery
- Pregnancy of the wife at the time of marriage unkown to husband
- Desertion or abandonment (specified length of time depends on state)
- Abuse (physical, emotional or mental cruelty) or Cruel Treatment
- Incarceration (specified length of time depends on state)
- Insanity
- Impotence
- Substance abuse
- Infection with a sexually transmitted disease
- Marriage between people too closely related (in some states grounds for annulment)
Possible grounds for no fault divorce include (most states have only one, and you must use the correct wording. Some states use one or more of the following):
- Living apart for a period of time
- Irreconcilable differences
- Irremediable breakdown of marriage
- The marriage is irretrievably broken
With a fault divorce, no legal separation time is necessary, while with a no fault divorce, certain states may demand an initial period of separation lasting up to two years.
You can use Rocket Lawyer to Find a Family Lawyer who can help you file for a fault divorce. If you are ready to file for a no fault divorce, you can create your Divorce Worksheet and a Divorce Settlement Agreement online (you may want to use Rocket Lawyer's Find a Family Lawyer to reveiw even uncontested paperwork). Note that in divorce cases with children, many states have state-specific, or county-specific, or court specific forms that must be used, and many courts have local rules that may require you to obtain certain documents from the court to attach to a filing.
About Glen Ashman
Glen Ashman offers quality legal services at affordable fees. In addition to having practiced law since 1980, Glen has been a City Judge for East Point since 1988. He is licensed to practice before all federal and state courts in metro Atlanta. He is rated BV (very high) in Martindale and is a Rocket Lawyer On Call Attorney. He is a cum laude graduate of Mercer Law School and a graduate of Emory University.
This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Rocket Lawyer is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. The law is complex and changes often. For legal advice, please ask a lawyer.
