When a person files for divorce, they usually get a first-class education in all the idiosyncrasies of divorce law in their state. Some of these laws are funny, some are confusing and some are downright inconvenient. Below are a few bizarre divorce laws that are guaranteed to leave any divorcee either scratching their head or clawing the hair out of their heads.
- A law in New York stipulates that if your spouse is declared mentally unstable, you can get a divorce but you still have to take care of them. If the illness lasts more than five years, the spouse can have the marriage annulled but still may be on the hook for lifetime support.
- Another one from the annals of New York’s family law code states that any professional degree obtained during the marriage is considered marital property. As such, the earning potential gained from that degree can be considered when splitting up assets.
- The geographically small state of Delaware has passed a law stating that if a couple is married on a dare, they have legal grounds to get an annulment and go their separate ways…until perhaps someone dares them to get married again. It would be interesting to find out how this came before the legislature in the first place.
- The in-laws strike again. This time in Kansas, where there is a state law declaring that a spouse can be denied a divorce request if they treated their mother-in-law poorly. The law doesn’t seem to specify if equal protection is granted to fathers-in-law.
- In Alabama, men and women are sometimes treated quite differently before the eyes of the law. For example, Alabama divorce law allows the wife to retain all property she owned prior to the marriage, as well as any property she may be entitled to after the marriage. This provision does not apply to husbands and their property.
Although none of these laws are on the books in the Garden State, New Jersey does have some of the more complicated divorce laws in the country. If you’re filing for divorce in New Jersey, talk to an experienced family law attorney who can guide you through all the state’s divorce laws, no matter how crazy they may seem.
For many years, Graziano & Flynn has been helping clients move through their divorces in minimal time and without collateral damage. Contact us today so we can begin to protect your interests regarding spousal support, child custody and more.
