Spouses Person No Fault Wanted Relationship Husband Prove Divorce

In the past, Americans who wanted to get a "divorce" (the legal end of a marriage) had to "prove" (demonstrate; show) "wrongdoing" (bad behavior) by one of the two people in the marriage. This created an "adversarial" (as enemies; not friendly) relationship between the two people who wanted to get a divorce and further "soured" (made unpleasant and bad) an already bad situation. For example, a husband or wife might have to prove that the "spouse" (husband or wife) had been "unfaithful" (involved in a sexual relationship with someone else). However, if that spouse replied that the other person had also been unfaithful, the court could "find" (legally conclude) that both parties had engaged in wrongdoing, and therefore not "grant" (allow) the divorce.

Beginning in 1970, U.S. states began to pass laws that "provided for" (allowed) "no-fault divorces" in which there was no requirement to prove wrongdoing. Today, all 50 states "have provisions for" (allow) no-fault divorces. This makes it easier for spouses to get a divorce, because they can state that they no longer want to be married, without "blaming" (being mad at and identifying as the source of a problem) the spouse.

In some cases, spouses can "claim" (state as a reason) "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their divorce. "Irreconcilable differences" are things on which the spouses cannot agree, or differences that make them "incompatible" (not able to continue living with each other as husband and wife). Irreconcilable differences would be things that at least one spouse is unable or unwilling to change in order to "save the marriage" (avoid divorce).