Getting a divorce in Tennessee can be an involved process, depending on what grounds for divorce the parties choose to base their legal proceedings on. This post will introduce readers to several different bases that individuals may use to end their marriages through divorce. It is important that readers recognize this post is informational in content, and any specific legal advice they need about their particular divorce cases should be sought from family law and divorce lawyers who are familiar with their legal situations.
No fault divorce in Tennessee
There are two no-fault divorce grounds in Tennessee. The first is separation. When the parties to a divorce have been separated for at least two years and they do not share any minor children, they may end their marriage through a no-fault divorce based on separation. If the parties to a no-fault divorce have not been separated for that long or do have minor children, they may use the grounds of irreconcilable differences as their no-fault bases to end their marriage.
Fault grounds for divorce in Tennessee
Tennessee also recognizes several fault grounds for ending a marriage. When fault is alleged, an individual generally must offer evidence to show that their spouse committed an infraction that may be used as a grounds for divorce. Those grounds include but are not limited to:
- Adultery
- Violence
- Drug addiction
- Prior unresolved marriage
- Incarceration
- Impotency
Not everyone wishes to discuss the intimate details of their marital relationships in court. For this reason, even some couples who experience fault in their marriages choose to use no-fault options for their divorces. A trusted legal counselor who works in the family law field can advise their client of their options for seeking a divorce that meets their needs and interests.