With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage, many individuals may be getting married for the first time while others are considering divorce. Though this court ruling affects all states, divorce laws still vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. As a result, some Washington residents may believe that it could be time to reconsider a national divorce law in the wake of the recent court ruling.
Each state has varying laws and regulations regarding property division, alimony and other divorce aspects. As a result, individuals in different areas can face vastly different divorce circumstances. Though some parties may think they understand what they could face if they choose to divorce in their state, the situation may become less certain if they later move to a different state.
Many individuals do relocate after marriage due to various circumstances. If they choose to end their marriage in a state other than the one in which they were married, the outcomes may not necessarily be what they expected. Because circumstances change, some parties may think that implementing national divorce laws could help even the playing field when it comes to divorce and where the proceedings take place.
Whether national laws regarding the idea of making divorce the same in all states will come about remains to be seen. Therefore, if state residents are considering ending their marriage, they may wish to determine how the process is carried out in Washington. Individuals concerned with alimony and property division may be especially interested in how they may fare after going through the process and what tactics may be helpful in securing a desire outcome.
Source: PBS, “Is it time for a national divorce law too?“, Laurence Kotlikoff, June 26, 2015