Conservative Lawmakers Seek to End No-Fault Divorce

Some conservative lawmakers and commentators are calling for an end to no-fault divorce, which lets people end a marriage without proving wrongdoing like adultery or abuse. These laws are in all 50 states. Critics argue that no-fault divorce harms families and deprives mostly men of their rights. Lawmakers in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Texas are considering changes to these laws.

Supporters say no-fault divorce is essential for protecting women, allowing them to leave abusive marriages without having to prove the abuse. States that adopted these laws saw drops in domestic violence and female suicide rates.

Critics like Matt Walsh, Steven Crowder, and Senator JD Vance believe no-fault divorce leads to more divorces and is unfair to men. While divorce rates rose from 1960 to 1980, they have since declined.

Beverly Willett, an attorney, argues that no-fault divorce violates due process rights by not allowing the other spouse to contest the divorce. However, this view is seen as outdated and implying that women are property.

Ending no-fault divorce would make it harder and more expensive for abuse survivors to get through the court system. Marium Durrani from the National Domestic Violence Hotline warns that more legal barriers could put survivors at greater risk.

Despite the push to end no-fault divorce, many believe these laws will stay because of their benefits, although recent legal changes like the overturning of Roe v. Wade show that nothing is certain.

Re-reported from the article originally published in THE GUARDIAN.