Divorce Source: Separation or Waiting Periods for No Fault Divorce

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Separation or Waiting Periods for No Fault Divorce

Many states have put in place laws that require a separation period before a no-fault divorce can be filed and/or granted by the court. These mandatory separation periods are put in place to allow for ample time for reconciliation. Since the belief is that no-fault divorce grounds make it easier for a couple to divorce, a mandatory separation period allows for the possibility for spouses to reconcile and save their marriage before actually initiating or getting though the entire divorce process. There are many people that believe these waiting periods do as much harm as good, because they delay a divorce, which causes many cases, which start out uncontested, to only become heavily contested over time.

STATE	Separation or Waiting Periods for No Fault Divorce
Alabama:	1 Month.
Alaska:	None.
Arizona:	None (unless covenant marriage).
Arkansas:	18 Months.
California:	6 Months post filing date.
Colorado:	None.
Connecticut:	None.
Dist of Columbia:	6 Months
Delaware:	None.
Florida:	None.
Georgia:	None.
Hawaii:	None.
Idaho:	None.
Illinois:	2 Years, or 6 months with mutual consent by spouses.
Indiana:	None.
Iowa:	3 Months.
Kansas:	None.
Kentucky:	None.
Louisiana:	6 Months, or 2 Years for a covenant marriage.
Maine:	None.
Maryland:	2 years, or 1 year with mutual consent by spouses.
Massachusetts:	7 Months, Only 1 Month with mutual consent by spouses.
Michigan:	None.
Minnesota:	None.
Mississippi:	None.
Missouri:	6 Months.
Montana:	6 Months.
Nebraska:	None.
Nevada:	None.
New Hampshire:	None.
New Jersey:	18 Months, or 6 months with mutual consent by spouses.
New Mexico:	None.
New York:	1 Year.
North Carolina:	1 Year.
North Dakota:	None.
Ohio:	1 Year, or None with mutual consent by spouses.
Oklahoma:	None.
Oregon:	None.
Pennsylvania:	2 Years, or 3 months with mutual consent by spouses.
Rhode Island:	None.
South Carolina:	1 Year.
South Dakota:	None.
Tennessee:	None.
Texas:	None.
Utah:	3 Months, or None with mutual consent by spouses.
Vermont:	6 Months.
Virginia:	1 Years, or 6 months with mutual consent by agreement with no children.
Washington:	3 Months.
West Virginia:	1 Year, or None with mutual consent by spouses.
Wisconsin:	None.
Wyoming:	None.

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