Divorce

Grounds are legally acceptable reasons for divorce. The judge may grant you a “no-fault” divorce in either of the following circumstances:

• based on irreconcilable differences;¹ or
• when you and your spouse have lived separately with a court order of separate maintenance (alimony) from any state for three years in a row.²

A judge may grant you a fault-based divorce if you can prove that your spouse:

• is a man who is unable to have sex (is “impotent”) at the time of the marriage;
• had sex with someone else (adultery) after you got married;
• stopped living with you as your spouse (“willful desertion”) for more than one year;
• stopped providing for your common needs (“willful neglect”);
• is habitually drunk;
• was convicted of a felony;
• is so cruel to you that s/he causes you physical injury or great mental distress; or
• is incurably insane.³

¹ Utah Code § 81-4-405(1)(h)
² Utah Code § 81-4-405(1)(j)
³ Utah Code § 81-4-405(1)(a)-(1)(g), (1)(i)