Changes to divorce law are up for consideration in the Texas
legislature, with supporters saying it is too easy to dissolve a civil
marriage.
“There needs to be some type of due process. There needs to be some
kind of mechanism to where that other spouse has a defense,” said Rep.
Matt Krause, a Republican from Fort Worth.
“I think people have seen the negative effects of divorce and the
breakdown of the family for a long time,” he added, saying he thought
his bill would help reverse the trend.
The bill would remove insupportability, meaning “no fault,” as a
grounds for divorce, the Austin-based NBC affiliate KXAN News reports.
Rep. Krause had also filed the bill in the 2016 legislative session.
A spokesperson for the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops said the
conference supports legislation that discourages divorce, including the
proposal to end “no-fault” divorce.
“No-fault divorce laws typically ease the divorce process, rather
than encouraging spouses to seek spiritual guidance or professional
counseling to enrich their marriage,” the spokesperson told CNA Jan. 12.
“However, in situations of domestic abuse or violence, Church
personnel and services should be focused on providing safety and
protection to those who are being abused or the victims of violence. No
one deserves to be hurt, especially by a supposed 'loved one.' Any laws
that support marriage must also recognize the right for a person to be
safe in his or her own home.”
One skeptic of the proposal was Slav Talavara, a family lawyer, who
told KXAN that about 90 percent of his divorce cases invoke “no-fault”
grounds. He said disallowing those grounds would add the need to blame
someone to an already difficult process.
All 50 states allow some form of no-fault divorce. New York was the
last state to legalize no-fault divorce, in 2010. In 17 states and the
District of Columbia, divorce can be sought only on “no-fault” grounds.
Texas law recognizes six categories of “fault-based” divorces:
adultery, cruelty, abandonment and a felony conviction, living apart for
at least three years, or confinement to a mental hospital.
Rep. Krause has filed a separate bill to extend the waiting period
for divorce from 60 days to 180 days in cases where the family includes a
child under 18 years of age, a child still in high school, or an adult
disabled child living in the household.
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops supports that bill as well. A
spokesperson said it would “provide more time for counseling and other
support to protect marriages.”