Getting married in Michigan is a common step to take when people want to start a family, have their community recognize their relationship or make a big investment together, like buying a house. Although almost everyone enters a marriage hoping it will last forever, about half of all marriages eventually fail. It can be very difficult to predict if your marriage will be one of those that end in divorce. You may never have learned anything about divorce because you didn't expect to experience it, only to find out that your spouse has cheated on you. So, do you need provable grounds of fault to file for divorce in Michigan?
There was a time when spouses would have to prove to the courts that their circumstances met a specific standard. They would need documentation of adultery or police reports that showed spousal abuse to convince the courts to grant them a divorce based on fault. Fault-based divorce proceedings were expensive and often embarrassing for the people involved. The spouse facing divorce could defend against the accusations if they wanted to avoid divorce or a ruling of fault. Both spouses might share private stories about the other. Many people likely avoided divorce because of how contentious and messy it could be. Michigan's no-fault statute only requires that one spouse attest that the relationship has broken down past the point of repair. If you and your spouse have developed irreconcilable differences, you can file a no-fault divorce. You don't need to prove anything, and your spouse cannot legally defend against such claims. Learning the basics of the divorce process in Michigan can help you decide if divorce is right for your situation.
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