Residency Requirements Prior to Filing for Divorce in Louisiana
According to the Louisiana Civil Code, parties who wish to file for divorce must have established residency in the state for at least six months immediately prior to petitioning the court for a dissolution of marriage decree. If parties qualify, then the action for divorce may be filed in the parish where either spouse resides.
Legal Grounds for Divorce in Louisiana
The legal grounds for divorce accepted in Louisiana aren’t always easy to decipher. There are differences between spouses who have entered into matrimony and those who have entered into a covenant marriage. The following are the basic rules when it comes to citing grounds for divorce in Louisiana:
The court will grant a divorce on the following grounds:
No-Fault:
Granted if spouses have lived separate and apart continuously for at least 180 days prior to filing the petition for divorce.
Fault:
A spouse to a covenant marriage may obtain a judgment of divorce only upon proof of any of the following:
(1) Adultery
(2) Felony conviction
(3) Abandonment for one year
(4) Physical or sexual abuse of the spouse or of one of the children of the spouses
(5) The spouses have been living separate and apart continuously without chance for reconciliation for a period of two years.
(6) The spouses have been living separate and apart continuously without chance for reconciliation for a period of one year from the date the judgment of legal separation was signed.
Hiring a Louisiana Divorce Lawyer
All these rules and regulations can drive anyone crazy, but when it comes to ensuring the best possible resolution for a case is attained, it is important for parties to know they can seek help from an experienced Louisiana divorce attorney to protect their rights throughout proceedings and make sure the case runs as quickly and smoothly as possible.
