Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What does a “No-Fault’ divorce mean in NC?”
A legislator from Utah has proposed a new bill that would further stiffen already strict requirements for divorce in the state. The new measure would make it mandatory for couples seeking to divorce to complete a course about alternatives to divorce. Experts say the new legislation, if approved, would toughen what are already some of the strictest rules for divorce in the country.
Already Utah law says that parents must first take an hour-long class about the impact of divorce on children before their case can move forward. Also, Utah residents have to wait 90 days for legal separation to be finalized before filing for divorce. The 90-day wait is meant to provide cooling off time so couples have a chance to reconsider before a split.
Under the new proposal, the person filing for divorce would be forced to attend a class before the petition for divorce could be considered by a family court judge. The law applies to all those couples with a child under the age of 18. The rule would also mandate the other partner take the same class within 30 days of the divorce petition being filed.
The bill’s sponsor, Jim Nielson, says that victims of domestic violence would be exempted from taking the course, however, the exemption would only apply if proof could be offered demonstrating the abuse. That means that the victim would need to produce a protective order, a letter from a domestic violence shelter or a police report alleging violence. Without such evidence the victims would be required to sit through the mandatory counseling session.