Grounds for Divorce in California

When the parties to a California marriage decide that they want to end their relationship they may want to legally part ways as fast as possible. However, state laws and established procedures dictate when and how parties can undo their legal unions. In addition to residency requirements and waiting periods, divorcing couples must demonstrate the grounds on which their divorces are based.

California does not recognize divorce grounds based on fault. While some jurisdictions may allow adultery, cruelty, or incarceration to stand as reasons to end marriages, in California divorces are based on no fault options. All readers are encouraged to consult with divorce attorneys in their home states to ensure that they understand the laws to which they will be subjected during their divorces as this post offers no legal advice.

No fault grounds recognized by the state include incurable insanity and irreconcilable differences. Incurable insanity is an option for individuals whose spouses suffer from unfixable mental illnesses and defects. For everyone else, irreconcilable differences serve as their divorce grounds.

Irreconcilable differences can manifest in different couples in different ways. At the core of the phrase, though, is the inability of two married people to overcome the differences that they experience and that prevent them from continuing their marriage. Many different interpersonal conflicts may support a claim for divorce based on irreconcilable differences.

Getting to court to end a marriage requires legal knowledge, incredible patience, and procedural understanding. Many individuals choose to work with trusted divorce and family law attorneys when they intend to part ways with their spouses. This post offers information to its readers and specific legal counsel should be sought from professionals familiar with their clients’ cases.