This is not a pro divorce post. This is a common sense divorce post.

48 States* have divorce laws that allow for a divorce if one party seeks a divorce. Mississippi does not allow this. Mississippi requires either an agreement to all terms or you must have fault grounds.

A recent Bill attempted to add as a fault ground, actual separation for a period of 3 years:

Thirteenth.* Willful and continued separation without cohabitation, with the intent not to return or resume or otherwise continue the marital relationship, for not less than three (3) years. Either party may have a divorce based on this cause.

This Bill, authored by Sally Doty, never made it out of committee and died.

Why should you care? Because Mississippi law, as it exists right now, promotes divorce blackmail.

You can be anti-divorce and still acknowledge that some people need to be divorced, even absent adultery and abuse.

*South Dakota is the other state that does not recognize true no-fault divorce.

*There are currently 12 fault grounds for divorce in Mississippi.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law attorney and is in favor of amending the divorce statutes.

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