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Top Unusual Divorce Laws in the World


— July 25, 2023

Fresh coffee is great, and Saudi Arabia agrees with this belief so much that it even has a law about it.


Divorce is very stressful for all parties involved. In some cases, the spouses are upset they have to go through this, as despite their arguments, they hoped they would be together until their last day. For others, divorce is a good thing as it allows them to separate from an abusive partner. 

Getting divorced is very difficult, and the process is sometimes influenced by unusual and even outdated or quite funny laws. Believe it or not, there are several strange divorce laws in various parts of the world, and we will take a look at some of them below. 

  1. Chile – Separating for One Year

One of the last countries to make divorce legal was Chile, as the country finally legalized it in 2004. The process was made more complicated by Catholic lawmakers. 

Apparently, couples must separate for a year to be eligible for a divorce – of course, this only applies if both parties agree. If they do not agree, then the period is three years. 

The waiting period can be waived in some cases, though, as long as you provide proof of criminal activity, drug addiction, prostitution, homosexuality, abandonment, abuse, or infidelity.

  1. Japan – Difficult Child Custody Laws

Following a divorce in Japan, couples find it hard to deal with child custody matters as there isn’t any provision for the joint custody of people’s children. So, if both parents want visitation rights, the case quickly becomes very difficult. 

Also, women cannot remarry for six months after getting a divorce. The same law doesn’t apply to men, though. 

  1. Kentucky, U.S. – Being Sure About Getting Divorced

Sometimes, couples who get divorced make up, then they decide to get married again. Now, this is usually possible, but if you live in Kentucky, you have to be careful how many times you get divorced from and remarry the same person. 

Apparently, you are not allowed to remarry the same individual four times. It may sound rare for someone to divorce the same person three times and get married a fourth time, but it’s still a law that Kentucky thought was good to have.

  1. Delaware, U.S. – Annulments for Marriages Made on Dares

Could you ever imagine having to marry someone on a dare, whether you liked them or not? It sounds like something straight out of a movie, yet Delaware made laws surrounding it. 

If you live in this state, marrying a person on a dare is grounds for annulment. Obviously, most people will not go this far with dares, but if it happens somehow, the marriage will be declared invalid. 

  1. Vatican City – No Divorce Approved

The Vatican, which is known as the most Catholic place in the world, is also the smallest country on the planet and has very few residents. It only has 842 residents, and they all follow the Catholic religion. The country also covers about 100 acres. Most people who live in Vatican City are the Pope’s staff and priests. 

So, perhaps it doesn’t come as a surprise that divorce is illegal in Vatican City. 

  1. Mississippi, U.S. – Proving Idiocy

Throughout your life, you’ve probably met a lot of people that you considered idiots, but did you know that a U.S. state allows people to get divorced when they prove that their partner is an idiot? It sounds like a joke, but it’s not. 

If a spouse can prove their partner’s idiocy, it can serve as grounds for divorce. Now, this is still not easy, because idiocy must be clinical.

Photo by RepentAnd SeekChristJesus (alexharvey) on Unsplash.
  1. Wichita, Kansas – An Obligation to Treat Your Mother-in-Law Well

Everyone hears stories of people having issues with their mothers-in-law. It can be hard to win the love of your partner’s mother, but in Kansas City, it seems to be necessary. 

In Wichita, Kansas, you can divorce your partner if they mistreat your mother. So, if you meet someone great but their mother does not approve of your relationship, you must possess a lot of self-control unless you want a divorce.

  1. Saudi Arabia – Divorcing Over Fresh Coffee

Fresh coffee is great, and Saudi Arabia agrees with this belief so much that it even has a law about it. Basically, a wife can divorce her husband if he does not bring her fresh coffee. It may seem quite surprising considering the country is known for having stricter laws for women.

Final Thoughts

Irrespective of these unusual laws, if you’re going through a divorce, you need to get proper help from an experienced attorney. Unfortunately, divorces are quite frequent nowadays. Maryland alone saw 1.6 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants in 2021. So, if you want to go through this case successfully, Waldorf divorce attorneys or other specialists in your area can help you out. 

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