The majority of divorces are filed on the grounds of “irreconcilable differences.” But what exactly does that mean?
Essentially, the “irreconcilable differences” grounds for divorce is used when filing a no-fault divorce. This means neither spouse intends to prove the other spouse was at fault or committed some form of wrongdoing that resulted in the end of the marriage. Instead, the couple has simply grown apart for a variety of reasons to the point where the marriage is no longer salvageable.
No-fault divorce background
In a no-fault divorce, the parties acknowledge the marriage cannot be fixed, and neither party is solely to blame. At one point all divorces had to have fault-based grounds, but over the decades the court systems moved away from fault requirements to allow no-fault “irreconcilable differences” divorces to go through and let people get out of bad marriages.
The nature of no-fault divorces and their lack of accusations makes them likely to be less contentious, which will likely save parties involved both time and money. It also spares children of the couple from having to watch their parents engage in a legal battle over fault-based grounds.
No-fault divorces are not, however, the same as uncontested divorces. In a no-fault divorce, parties get divorced because they do not want to be married. In an uncontested divorce, the parties agree on grounds for divorce and all the terms of the divorce.
To learn more about the process of filing for divorce, contact a trusted Minnesota divorce lawyer at Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A.
