Grounds for Divorce in Oklahoma
Each state requires you to meet certain conditions before you can seek a divorce. This is called grounds for divorce, and Oklahoma has some specific grounds for divorce that might help while you are making your decision. These conditions must be proven for the divorce to be accepted by the court. An Oklahoma City Divorce Lawyer can help you figure out whether you meet these requirements and can collect the evidence needed to prove your case.
Oklahoma Grounds for Divorce
Oklahoma divorces can be fault or no-fault-based divorces. Fault-based divorces mean one spouse was at fault for the broken marriage. For example, the spouse who commits adultery could be held at fault for the factors that led to the decision to seek divorce. No-fault divorces happen when both spouses agree that the marriage should end and that there is no one to blame. This is common for many cases of a history of irreconcilable differences and arguments.
Other concrete grounds for divorce are impotence, repeated intoxication from alcohol or drugs, extreme cruelty, being unable to help financially, going to prison, and insanity. Each of these comes with their own requirements and means of proving how they happened. For example, the insanity must have lasted at least five years to qualify as a grounds for divorce. Abandonment for 12 months and a fraudulent marriage contract also count as legal reasons to seek divorce.
Basic legal requirements also exist for a divorce to be official. One of the spouses must have been an Oklahoma resident for six months. If you have children, you will not be allowed to finalize the divorce until 90 days after filing a petition for divorce.
Common Reasons People Seek Divorce
The most common reasons for divorce are often imagined as drug abuse, adultery, and domestic violence. However, the results of one study on the causes of divorce may surprise you. Reports from divorced couples showed that the most common reasons for seeking divorce were lack of commitment, infidelity, and a history of excessive arguments. Financial issues, drug abuse, and domestic violence came last on the list.
The results varied somewhat concerning what both spouses reported. 70.6% of couples agreed that low commitment was a significant factor in the decision to go through with a divorce. 31.3% agreed that infidelity was the main cause. In terms of arguments, 53.8% agreed on this as the ultimate reason. These show how personal many of the reasons for divorce are.
Divorce Lawyer in Oklahoma City
Finding the reason for divorce is often straightforward, but this may not always be the case when your spouse is the one requesting a divorce. Collecting evidence to prove your grounds for divorce or to defend against your spouse’s grounds for divorce can be challenging. An experienced Oklahoma Family Lawyer will know the right steps to take in your situation. Contact the Putnam Law Office at (405)-849-9149 today for a consultation. We will investigate your case to determine ways to obtain a deal that works best for your financial and living situations. Mr. Putnam is an Oklahoma City, OK attorney who is dedicated to his clients.
