The 12 Grounds for Divorce in Oklahoma

Grounds for divorce represents a legal reason for obtaining an official divorce. States vary on the grounds for divorce they require and without meeting the requirements, you may not be granted a divorce. Oklahoma recognizes 12 different grounds that would qualify. Knowing these can help you figure out whether you and your spouse have a legal justification for seeking a divorce. To find out more about what options you have, be sure to talk to an Oklahoma Family Lawyer. 

12 Grounds for Divorce

The 12 grounds for divorce in Oklahoma are abandonment, adultery, impotence, pregnancy from someone other than the husband, cruelty, fraud, incompatibility, drunkenness, neglect of duty, imprisonment, procurement of a final divorce decree, and insanity. Each of these comes with certain specifications that need to be met in order to satisfy court standards.

For abandonment to qualify, the abandonment must have lasted at least a year and means your spouse physically left you with no attempts to support you during the absence. Adultery means your spouse had sexual intercourse with another person and may require your spouse to pay a fine. Impotency involves unresolved sexual problems. 

Cruelty must be extreme and cause significant distress for it to count as grounds for divorce. Fraud involves a fraudulent marriage contract that was forged or falsified by your spouse or a third party. Incompatibility can mean various things because this grounds for divorce is used for no-fault divorces where one spouse wants to end the marriage. Some examples involve a loss of interest, communication problems, or general marital distress. 

Drunkenness must be habitual and excessive to count. Neglect of duty can include a failure of a spouse to fulfill certain responsibilities in the marriage like caring for the children. Imprisonment means one spouse has been confined in prison or charged with a felony. Insanity must last at least five years, have a poor prognosis, and your spouse must have been admitted to an institution for the insane. 

Most Common Reasons for Divorce

Knowing common reasons for divorce may help ease some concerns after realizing you are not alone. Some of the most common reasons people report for seeking a divorce are infidelity, domestic violence, and substance use. While domestic violence and drug abuse, other than alcohol, are not explicitly listed as grounds for divorce in Oklahoma, these can still affect divorce decisions in court.

Substance abuse and domestic violence can have large impacts on decisions regarding child custody, child visitation rights, and child support. Infidelity, like adultery, is a grounds for divorce and requires a certain amount of evidence proving the infidelity. Proving your grounds for divorce can be tricky in many situations, which is when a lawyer can help you through this process. 

Family Lawyer in Oklahoma

Figuring out what evidence you need to collect to prove your grounds for divorce can be complex depending on the situation. Try speaking with an Oklahoma Divorce Lawyer if you have questions about what steps you need to take. Contact the Putnam Law Office at (405)-849-9149 today for a consultation. Mr. Putnam is an Oklahoma City, OK attorney who is dedicated to his clients.