No-fault Divorce in Michigan

Michigan is strictly a no-fault divorce state. The grounds for divorce in Michigan are established by statute, and the statutory grounds for divorce in Michigan do not require evidence of fault. The statutory grounds required for a court to grant the divorce are: “…that the objects of matrimony have been destroyed and there remains no reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved.” See MCL 552.6. Simply put, the marriage is beyond repair. The Divorce Statute even prohibits the plaintiff, the person who filed for divorce, from giving explanations other than the statutory grounds for divorce listed in the statute. See MCL 552.6(1).

While you don’t need to establish fault to get a divorce in Michigan, fault is relevant to other aspects of divorce. A court will consider fault when spousal support is an issue, and fault can have an impact on the division of marital property as well. While fault might not be an issue in every divorce, individual circumstances should always be explored to determine if fault might be relevant to your divorce.  

If you’re contemplating a divorce, it is always wise to speak with an experienced Kalamazoo divorce attorney.