Utah recently voted down a bill that would have created a state mandated barrier to divorce. Representatives killed HB290 , which would have required divorcing couples with children to take a “divorce orientation” class prior to filing. The class is still mandatory in Utah, but currently must be completed within 60 days of filing, and not prior.
As a Portland Oregon based divorce lawyer, I find that many potential clients are surprised by how easy it is to file for divorce in Oregon. All you have to do in Oregon is say you have “irreconcilable differences.” While it makes constitutional sense to keep the State out of a person’s freedom to end a marriage, a mandatory class or counseling prior to filing for divorce is an interesting idea, considering the statistic that 20% to 40% of divorce couples wish they had worked harder to save their marriage.
The full article from the Salt Lake Tribune can be found here.
Oklahoma is the same way – super easy to get divorced. All a spouse has to allege is ‘irreconcilable differences’ and they can be granted divorce. I agree with Utah lawmakers though, making it harder to get a divorce is not the solution. We need to better educate people on the front end of marriage, with some mandatory pre-marital counseling sessions.