Divorce, like marriage, is the province of the state governments, not the federal government. Divorce laws vary from state to state, but no-fault divorce on the grounds of "irreconcilable differences" is now available in all states.

However, in recent years many states, including North Carolina and New York requires a one-year legal and physical separation prior to a formal divorce decree. This legal requirement has led to the creation of a separate, somewhat ambiguous category of relationships, separated.

Once a more informal term used by individuals, it has now become a legal category designating someone who is neither married nor divorced.

Prior to the latter decades of the 20th century, a spouse seeking divorce had to show a cause such as cruelty, incurable mental illness, or adultery. Even in such cases, a divorce was barred in cases such as the suing spouse's procurement or connivance, condonation, or recrimination.

By the 1960s, however, the use of collusive or deceptive practices to bypass the fault system had become ubiquitous, and there was widespread agreement that something had to change. The no-fault divorce "revolution" began in 1969 in California, and was completed in 1985. However, New York does impose a mandatory separation period before a divorce can be granted. Learn more about no-fault with the North Carolina divorce lawyer.

In some states fault grounds remain, but all states except New York now provide other grounds as well, variously termed irreconcilable differences, irremediable breakdown, loss of affection, or similar. For such grounds no fault need be proven and little defense is possible. Learn more of this with the North Carolina divorce lawyer.

However, most states require some waiting period, typically a 1 to 2 year separation. Some have argued that the lack of means to contest a no-fault divorce makes a marriage contract the easiest of all contracts to dissolve, and in very recent years some have begun to favor moderate divorce reforms such as requiring mutual consent for no-fault divorce.

States vary in the admissibility of such evidence for those decisions. In any case, a no-fault divorce can be arranged far more easily, although the terms of the divorce can be and often are contested with respect to child-related matters and finances. Ultimately most cases are settled by the parties before trial. For more information about the divorces and processes within it, then visit the North Carolina divorce lawyer.