Divorce

Grounds are legally acceptable reasons for divorce. A judge can grant you a divorce if you and your spouse have irreconcilable differences that have caused an irreparable breakdown in your marriage. Granting a divorce based on irreconcilable differences means that a judge can issue a divorce decree without considering either your or your spouse’s fault for the end of the marriage and without considering any claims of misconduct.¹

A judge can also grant you a divorce based on a fault-based ground instead of irreconcilable difference, which include if your spouse:

• is impotent;
• cheats on you (adultery);
• treats you with extreme cruelty;
• deserts you for five years or a shorter period of time as decided by the judge;
• habitually and excessively uses opium, morphine, or chloral;
• neglects you and refuses to provide for you despite being able to; or
• engages in any other “gross misbehavior” or “wickedness” that violates the vows of marriage - for example, sexually inappropriate or immoral behavior.²

¹ RI Gen. Laws § 15-5-3.1
² RI Gen. Laws § 15-5-2