United States: Domestic Violence Bill Fails to Advance In Mississippi State Legislature
A bill to add all forms of domestic violence as grounds for divorce in Mississippi has failed to advance after the measure died in a state House committee. Advocates who supported the change say that, under existing state law, women can struggle to obtain a divorce if they are the victims of violence and their husband does not “consent” to the divorce. Additionally, current state law does not recognize psychological or economic abuse as grounds for divorce, only “habitual cruel and inhuman treatment,” which critics say is open to interpretation and often hard to prove. Opponents of the bill said it could “open the floodgates” to more divorce in the state, and that merely arguing loudly with a spouse could be interpreted as abuse.
Compiled from: Smith, Sarah, Mississippi Legislators Kill Domestic Abuse Bill, US News and World Report (February 28, 2017).
For more information
Please see the Domestic Violence: Child Custody and Family Law Issues and the Drafting Laws on Domestic Violence: Family Law and Divorce sections of this website.
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