Texas is a no-fault divorce state which means that it is unnecessary to show that either party was at fault in order to obtain a divorce. It is only necessary to show that there is marital discord and there is no reasonable expectation of reconciliation. However, many fault issues (adultery, cruelty, etc.) are frequently relevant factors in divorce cases because they can have an impact on how the community property is divided, or how custody is decided.

Traditionally, divorce was granted on the basis of some marital misconduct such as adultery or physical abuse. In these cases the "guilty" spouse was punished by getting a smaller share of the couple's property or being denied custody of their children while the "innocent" spouse was rewarded for being faithful to the vows of marriage. In a no fault divorce, however, both parties agree that there is no "fault" involved in the grounds for divorce.

No. You don't need "fault" to file for divorce in Louisiana. Generally, you can get a divorce by showing that you and your spouse have lived separate and apart (without getting back together or "reconciling") for at least 6 months. But, if you made a "covenant" marriage, you must be separated longer. You don't need to show fault, but if you want to, you can ask a court to give you a divorce based on the "fault" of your spouse which caused the break-up of the marriage.

Most likely not, because the Commonwealth of Massachusetts does not weigh in marital behavior when making asset distribution decisions, or awarding alimony.

The one benefit to this type of divorce is the victory does not go to the spouse with the greatest number of complaints. Each spouse is seen as contributing the same amount to the death of the marriage, so a more equitable agreement is possible. One might think that a no-fault divorce is quick and easy, but people always have a tendency to get very greedy until it is all resolved.

The marriage must be irretrievably broken, and there must be a waiting period. One type of no-fault divorce has a 90-day waiting period-the other a two-year waiting period. There are reasons for choosing one or the other or both in the complaint. Your attorney will explain.

There are two divorce grounds in Maryland that can essentially give a person a no-fault divorce. These are a voluntary one year separation, and a two year separation. With the first, a couple must agree to separate, and once they are separate for a year, they can file for a divorce. With the other, one person in the marriage can decide to separate from the other, and two years later, can file for a divorce.

No, if the parties agree to the divorce and settle the case without a trial, which is called an irreconcilable differences divorce.

A fault-based divorce is one in which one party blames the other for the failure of the marriage by citing a legal wrong. Grounds for a fault-based divorce vary by state but typically include adultery, physical or mental cruelty, desertion, alcohol or drug abuse, insanity, impotence, or infecting the other spouse with a venereal disease.

Although fault must be proven in court to establish grounds for divorce, it is not considered when determining issues of property division or awards of maintenance. In other words, marital misconduct is irrelevant. The only time it is considered by the court, is when one spouse has dissipated marital assets (e.g., spouse spent marital funds for purposes unrelated to the marriage at a time of an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage).

Additional options we offer to help you with your proceedings in a Washington State divorce, legal separation, or annulment.

No, you do not have to prove a fault because only as recently as 80's no-fault divorce grounds were put into practice in Pennsylvania. So, fault based divorce grounds are ignored for getting a Pennsylvania divorce.

Under the Alabama divorce law the couple has to be separated for 2 years before filing for a no fault divorce.

Yes. It means that the Court won't try to assign blame to either spouse for the failure of the marriage and that there doesn't need to be a specific reason to get a Divorce.

No. North Carolina is a no-fault divorce state whereby either spouse may obtain an absolute divorce based on one year's separation (the only other ground is proving incurable insanity, which is rarely used).

In New Jersey, there are several "fault-based" grounds and one "no fault" cause of action for divorce. In most cases, fault has no bearing on how marital assets will be divided or on how support and alimony issues will be decided. Many lawyers and judges consider the concept of marital fault to be dead in New Jersey absent truly bizarre circumstances. In rare cases, the Court may consider the grounds for divorce as a factor in determining alimony.

Gay, lesbian and bisexual people come from all walks of life and all types of families. Nothing you have done has made your child gay. Many studies have been done as to what causes homosexuality but nobody knows the answer. Don't torture yourself trying to find out. You can support your child without knowing what made him/her gay.