{"id":376022,"date":"2016-03-31T21:36:30","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:36:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/pennsylvania-law\/pennsylvania-legal-requirements-for-divorce.html"},"modified":"2024-09-15T14:53:43","modified_gmt":"2024-09-15T19:53:43","slug":"pennsylvania-legal-requirements-for-divorce","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/pennsylvania-law\/pennsylvania-legal-requirements-for-divorce.html","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania Divorce Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pennsylvania Divorce Laws <\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Just as Pennsylvania has laws regarding marriage, it also has laws governing divorce<\/a>. If you’re considering filing for divorce, you should familiarize yourself with Pennsylvania divorce laws. You may also want to seek legal advice from a skilled Pennsylvania family law attorney.<\/p>\r\n

Here, we will summarize the basic divorce laws in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We will also discuss child custody, alimony<\/a>, and property division issues.<\/p>\r\n

Pennsylvania Divorce Laws at a Glance<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The table below briefly summarizes Pennsylvania’s divorce statutes in plain English. While reading the actual statute is important, this table can help you better understand the Pennsylvania divorce process.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Relevant Pennsylvania divorce laws<\/th>\r\n

Pennsylvania Statutes<\/b><\/p>\r\n

Title 23 \u2014 Domestic Relations<\/p>\r\n

Residency requirements<\/th>\r\n

You must be a resident of the Commonwealth for the six months before the date you file the divorce action.  <\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Waiting period<\/th>\r\n
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  • Divorce on the grounds of mutual consent requires a 90-day waiting period from the date of filing to the date of final decree.<\/li>\r\n
  • Divorce on the grounds of irretrievable breakdown of the marriage requires the couple to live separate and apart for at least one year before filing for divorce.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
Grounds for divorce<\/th>\r\n

Pennsylvania law allows fault-based and no-fault divorce<\/a> actions.<\/p>\r\n

Fault-Based Divorce:<\/b> The court may grant a divorce to an "innocent and injured" spouse when it finds that the other spouse has …<\/p>\r\n