Starting July 1, abused spouses can more easily get a divorce in Mississippi when the first major change to the state’s antiquated divorce laws in more than 40 years takes effect.
“I absolutely think it’s going to help,” said Sandy Middleton, director of the Center for Violence Prevention, who helped draft and champion the new law, which was subject to fierce debate and had previously been killed in the Legislature before its passage in March. “It’s going to make a big difference for victims trying to escape violent homes.”
Experts and advocates have for years said Mississippi’s divorce laws, little changed over 100 years except for an “irreconcilable differences” ground added in 1976, trap spouses and children in abusive situations and financial limbo. The state’s divorce laws, they said, contribute to domestic violence and abuse. [Read Full Article]
