The Harsh Divorces of America

Even though divorce is something mentioned in the Torah, the nature of Divorce is akin to the destruction of the Temple, yet we promote and encourage it in our communities. This is especially true in the Jewish communities of the United States. In the USA, the Divorce rate is the 3rd Highest in the entire world.

The USA is a complicated country despite being free. When it comes to divorce policies in the United States, each American state, county, and city operates differently when it comes to how divorce proceedings take place under their court systems. Even two different courts (Family, Civil, etc.) operate differently within the same place. This is something one must take into serious consideration if they are getting divorced in the US.

Secular/Civil divorces take longer than religious divorces. Some states have a minimum residency requirement for someone living in their state to file for a civil divorce. In fact, some states require the couple to have been separated for 2 years. However, Alaska, South Dakota, and Washington State have no minimum residency requirement. Financial “interest” in child support still exists in 14 states including California. In that state, the “interest” can be up to 10%, and that money doesn’t help the children. It merely goes to the state. Even in CA, one can lose his driver’s license after falling behind payment by 180 days. Federal bills to change the system have been denied…

P.S. I wish that none of you have to go through this difficult process in life.