There are only two grounds for divorce in the District of Columbia. Both are so-called no-fault grounds-that is, a party does not have to prove that his spouse did something wrong (for example, committed adultery) to get a divorce. The two grounds are voluntary separation for six months, or separation for a year. The difference between the two is that with the former, the couple must agree to separate-that is, the separation must be voluntary.

The emotional impact of a divorce can be intense, and has lots of highs and lows - and upside down and sideways turns as well. Like a roller coaster ride that you didn’t buy a ticket for, the emotions that emerge during divorce can come and go unpredictably. These feelings can be a bit overwhelming.