Online divorce services like MyDivorcePapers.com are usually frequented by people looking for a way through the legal process that is as ordinary as possible. However, when it comes to divorce laws themselves, there is nothing ordinary at all about some of the strange things you’ll find that are still on the books. Here are three laws that’ll surprise you.
1. Spouses may seek damages from third parties.
In New Mexico and Mississippi, being the victim of infidelity doesn’t mean you have to take your lumps and move on with life — at least, not right away. According to an ABC News article, there are seven states in all where a cuckolded spouse can seek damages from the offending party. While damages aren’t automatic, it is a possibility.
2. A man cannot be divorced for mistreatment of his mother-in-law.
Stereotypes sometimes become stereotypes for a reason, and one of the most popular is that of the warring husband and mother-in-law. While it may be hard to find a sympathetic ear in most courts throughout the country, a husband, who finds himself in a constant state of turmoil with the in-laws, may find luck in Wichita, Kansas. According to an article on MSN, city laws state that mistreatment of a mother-in-law may not be used as grounds for divorce.
3. No-fault divorce in England? Yeah, right.
While most of the US has moved to the no-fault divorce, rendering most unusual divorce laws moot, that is definitely not the case in England. A New York Times article highlighted many of the strange cases that legal counsel across the pond experience via the country’s for-fault laws, including: the woman who sued for divorce because her husband insisted she dress in a Klingon costume and speak to him in the language; the man who declared his wife had maliciously served him the least favorite dish, tuna casserole; and the husband, who accused his wife of tampering with the TV antenna and throwing away his cold cuts. Divorce lawyer Lloyd Platt admitted it was hard to keep a straight face sometimes, especially in the case of a client, who was filing for divorce because her husband was “stretching all her best outfits.”
What are some of the stranger divorce laws that you’ve heard?