On behalf of Sayer Regan & Thayer of Sayer Regan & Thayer, LLP on Monday, April 23, 2018.

You’ve been married for a few years, and from the beginning, you thought it might have been a bad decision. You found your spouse in over his head in debt, and you struggled to pay the bills while he decided not to work a full-time job. Your life has been nothing but difficult since your marriage began, and now you just want out.

Your story isn’t unique, and many people have gone through the same thing. Rhode Island has specific divorce laws that may not be the same as other states. If you and your spouse are trying to determine where you want to get a divorce and Rhode Island is a possibility, you should know the state’s specific laws before you decide.

Rhode Island allows no-fault divorces, but the catch in Rhode Island is that the divorce requires at least one person to have been living in the state for a year. If the court doesn’t believe the marriage is irretrievably broken, then you’ll need to show that you’ve been living separately for a minimum of three years.

A final decree may be entered after a 30-day waiting period. At that point, it may be entered within three months of the time of the decision.

Rhode Island does recognize grounds for divorce including cruelty and violence, desertion for five or more years, impotency, nonsupport, adultery, repugnant behavior and drug or alcohol addiction. Decide if you want to file for a fault or no-fault divorce, and then submit your application to the court to begin the divorce process with the state.

Source: FindLaw, “Rhode Island Divorce Laws,” accessed April 17, 2018