What are the grounds for divorce?

In Massachusetts, there are two grounds for divorce: the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, and an irretrievable breakdown as a result of an involuntary separation of at least one year. The most common ground for divorce is the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. This means that the marriage has broken down to the point that it can’t be saved. The court must be satisfied that there have been serious irreconcilable differences between the spouses that have led to an irreversible breakdown of the marriage. The second ground for divorce is an irretrievable breakdown as a result of an involuntary separation of at least one year. This means that due to a serious breakdown in the marriage, the spouses have been living apart for a minimum period of one year. The spouses must have been living separate and apart for at least one year consecutively for this ground to apply. These are the two grounds that must be met in order for a court to grant a divorce in Massachusetts. It is important to note that Massachusetts does not require fault grounds to grant a divorce. This means that neither party must be found at fault for the breakdown of the marriage.

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What are the grounds for divorce?

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