Update on Proposed Alabama Divorce Law Extending Divorce Waiting Period
Early last month, The Divorce Blog detailed a proposed Alabama divorce law that would extend the divorce waiting period for parents with children under the age of 18 to a full year. Current Alabama divorce law allows a court to finalize a divorce in the state in as little as 30 days after filing. While admitting that his proposed divorce law has slim chances of passing this legislative session, state Senator Hank Erwin said in a Montgomery Adviser story today that he hopes such legislation will spark more discussion on making marriages last. Erwin had hoped that such a longer waiting period would result in some couples seeking counseling and then reconciling.
An opponent of this Alabama divorce legislation questioned in the story whether it took a holistic view of divorce. Specifically, Montgomery divorce lawyer Judy Barganier called the legislation “well-intended” but off in that some divorces are better for the children involved, especially when there is a lot of conflict in the marriage. Barganier added in the story how most of the divorce cases that she handles center around money, parenting approaches, substance abuse, and mental health issues. We’ll keep you updated on any more developments with this proposed Alabama divorce law.
