So marital issues are now causing you to question having a future with your spouse in Fowlerville. Such questions may prompt many to decide that they want a divorce. Yet is it really as simple as that? Like most, you are probably familiar with the term “grounds for divorce.” What does it mean, and could it prevent you from seeking an end to your marriage?
Grounds for divorce are the reasons cited by either one or both parties to a marriage as to why their union should end. Infidelity, abuse, impotence or one going to prison are common grounds that might immediately come to your mind. Yet what if none of those has affected your marriage, and you simply feel as though you and your spouse are no longer compatible as a couple?
According to Section 552.6 or Michigan’s Compiled Laws, the state recognizes a breakdown in a marriage sufficient to destroy the objects of matrimony and make the likelihood of reconciliation impossible as a justifiable reason to end a marriage. Michigan is also a “no fault” state when it comes to divorce, meaning that you do not need to offer any other reason than the one presented above as to why you want to end your marital relationship.
Your spouse can object to this, yet ultimately it is the court that rules on your petition. The issue of who is at fault in the breakdown of your relationship is not considered when granting a divorce. That does not mean, however, that it may not come into play during your divorce proceedings. Both yours and your spouse’s individual contributions to ending your marriage may affect issues such as property division, child custody and support, as well as alimony.
