definition essay about divorce

Essays About Divorce: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Essays about divorce can be challenging to write; read on to see our top essay examples and writing prompts to help you get started.

Divorce is the legal termination of a marriage. It can be a messy affair, especially if it includes children. Dividing the couple’s assets also often causes chaos when divorce proceedings are in session. 

Divorce also touches and considers religion and tradition. Therefore, laws are formed depending on the country’s history, culture, and belief system.

To help you choose what you want to talk about regarding this topic, here are examples you can read to get an idea of what kind of essay you want to write.

1. Divorce Should Be Legalized in the Philippines by Ernestine Montgomery

2. to divorce or not to divorce by mark ghantous, 3. what if you mess up by manis friedman, 4. divorce: a life-changing experience by writer louie, 5. divorce’s effects on early adult relationships by percy massey, 1. the major reasons for divorce, 2. why i support divorce, 3. my divorce experience, 4. how to avoid divorce, 5. divorce and its effects on my family, 6. the consequences of divorce, 7. divorce laws around the world.

“What we need is a divorce law that defines clearly and unequivocally the grounds and terms for terminating a marriage… Divorce is a choice and we all should have the freedom to make choices… in cases where a union is more harmful than beneficial, a divorce can be benevolent and less hurtful way of severing ties with your partner.”

As the title suggests, Montgomery and his other colleagues discuss why the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country, needs to allow divorce. Then, to strengthen his argument, he mentions that Spain, the root of Christianity, and Italy, where the Vatican City is, administer divorce. 

He also mentions bills, relevant figures, and statistics to make his case in favor of divorce more compelling. Montgomery adds that people who want a divorce don’t necessarily mean they want to marry again, citing other motives such as abuse and marital failure.

“Divorce, being the final step in a detrimental marriage, brings upon the gruesome decision as to whether a married couple wishes to end that once made commitment they had for each other. As opposed to the present, divorce was rare in ancient times…”

Ghantous starts his essay with what divorce means, as not only an end of a commitment but also the termination of legal duties and other obligations of the couple to each other. He then talks about divorce in ancient times, when men had superior control over women and their children. He also mentions Caroline Norton, who fought with English family law that was clearly against women.

“So even though G‑d has rules,… laws,… divine commandments, when you sin, He tells you: ‘You messed up? Try again.’ That’s exactly how you should be married — by treating your spouse the way G‑d treats you. With that much mercy and compassion, that much kindness and consideration.”

Friedman’s essay discusses how the Torah sees marriage and divorce and explains it by recounting a scene with his daughters where they couldn’t follow a recipe. He includes good treatment and forgiveness necessary in spouses. But he also explains that God understands and doesn’t want people in a failed marriage to continue hurting. You might also be interested in these essays about commitment .

“Depending on the reasons that led up to the divorce the effects can vary… I was fourteen years old and the one child that suffered the most emotional damage… My parents did not discuss their reasons for the divorce with me, they didn’t have to, and I knew the reasons.”

The author starts the essay by citing the famous marital promise: “For better or worse, for richer or poorer,” before going in-depth regarding the divorce rate among Americans. He further expounds on how common divorce is, including its legalities. Although divorce has established legal grounds, it doesn’t consider the emotional trauma it will cause, especially for children.

Louie recounts how his life changed when his dad moved out, listing why his parents divorced. He ends the essay by saying society is at fault for commercializing divorce as if it’s the only option.

“With divorce becoming more prevalent, many researchers have taken it upon themselves to explore many aspects of this topic such as evolving attitudes, what causes divorce, and how it effects the outcome of children’s lives.”

Massey examines the causes of divorce and how it impacts children’s well-being by citing many relevant research studies. Some of the things he mentions are the connection between the child’s mental health, behavioral issues, and future relationships. Another is the trauma a child can endure during the divorce proceedings.

He also mentions that some children who had a broken family put marriage on a pedestal. As a result, they do their best to create a better future family and treat their children better.

Top 7 Prompts on Essays About Divorce

After adding to your knowledge about the subject, you’re better prepared to write essays about divorce.

There are many causes of the dissolution of marriage, and many essays have already discussed these reasons. However, you can explain these reasons differently. For example, you can focus on domestic abuse, constant fighting, infidelity, financial issues, etc.

If you want to make your piece stand out, you can include your personal experience, but only if you’re comfortable sharing your story with others. 

If you believe divorce offers a better life for all parties involved, list these benefits and explain them. Then, you can focus on a specific pro of legalizing divorce, such as getting out of an abusive relationship. 

If you want to write an essay to argue against the negative effects of divorce, here’s an excellent guide on how to write an argumentative essay .

This prompt is not only for anyone who has no or sole guardian. If you want to write about the experiences of a child raised by other people or who lives with a single parent, you can interview a friend or anyone willing to talk about their struggles and triumphs even if they didn’t have a set of parents.

Aside from reasons for divorce, you can talk about what makes these reasons more probable. Then, analyze what steps couples can take to avoid it. Such as taking couples’ therapy, weekly family get-together, etc. To make your essay more valuable, weigh in on what makes these tips effective.

Divorce is diverse and has varying effects. There are many elements to its results, and no two sets of factors are precisely the same for two families. 

If you have an intimate experience of how your immediate and extended family dynamic had been affected by divorce, narrate those affairs. Include what it made you and the others around you feel. You might also be interested in these essays about conflict .

This is a broad prompt, but you can narrow it down by focusing on an experience you or a close friend had. You can also interview someone closely related to a divorce case, such as a lawyer, reporter, or researcher. 

If you don’t have any experience with divorce, do not know anyone who had to go through it, or is more interested in its legal aspects, compiles different divorce laws for each country. You can even add a brief history for each law to make the readers understand how they came about.

Are you looking for other topics to write on? Check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Guest Essay

Divorce Can Be an Act of Radical Self-Love

By Lara Bazelon

Ms. Bazelon is a professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law and the author of the forthcoming book “Ambitious Like a Mother.”

I used to believe that divorce is a terrible thing, particularly when children are involved. Growing up, I absorbed cultural tropes about absent fathers in efficiency apartments, mothers struggling to support themselves, and awful stepparents and unwanted stepsiblings. To this day, divorce is portrayed as precarious and grim. Parents whose marriages break apart are made to feel they have failed catastrophically. Divorce is shameful, traumatic and Bad For The Kids .

But I’ve learned that divorce can also be an act of radical self-love that leaves the whole family better off. My divorce nearly seven years ago freed me from a relationship that was crushing my spirit. It freed my children, then 5 and 3, from growing up in a profoundly unhealthy environment.

There was no emotional or physical abuse in our home. There was no absence of love. I was in love with my husband when we got divorced. Part of me is in love with him still. I suspect that will always be the case. Even now, after everything, when he walks into the room my stomach drops the same way it does before the roller coaster comes down. I divorced my husband not because I didn’t love him. I divorced him because I loved myself more.

There are many reasons we did not make it. But the main one is that we had incompatible visions of our roles as partners and parents. Having children did not transform me. In fact, it didn’t change me much at all. I love our children beyond reason. I know I am lucky to have them.

But after I became a mother, I was still the same striving, work-obsessed, domestically challenged person I had always been. I made choice after choice to prioritize my career because I believed fervently in the importance of the work I was doing, providing legal representation to wrongfully convicted men and women . It gave me an identity, a purpose and the comfort of knowing I could support myself.

My ex-husband was not unreasonable in wanting me to change — not to give up working, but to stop chasing after bigger, harder projects. He works hard but not when he is at home. He rarely travels and actively engages with nearly every aspect of our children’s lives, no matter how mundane. I fell short of his standards. “You are not present” was a phrase I heard a lot. Sometimes it was literal: For years, I traveled frequently for work. Sometimes it was metaphorical: My mind consumed by a case or a piece of writing, I would retreat to an inner world that made it hard to focus on the people right in front of me.

Sometimes during the final months of my marriage, I wavered. Maybe if I quit my long-distance job and found a position closer to home even if I did not particularly care for it, we could hold on. Perhaps I could work part time, join the P.T.A. at my son’s school and start cooking dinner. I fervently wanted to save my marriage and give my children an intact family. And I had been taught that divorce was a terrible thing, to be avoided at all costs.

But deep inside, I knew that trying to force myself to subordinate my ambitions and always put our children first would have been impossible without lopping off a vital part of myself. I would picture myself, a few decades into the future, sitting next to my husband at our daughter’s wedding. One of the guests, well-meaning, would raise a glass to toast our own happy marriage — what footsteps the bride was following in! And there I would be, skinny and sunken in my sea-foam mother-of-the-bride dress, the smile on my face freezing the resentment beneath it, a third vodka tonic sweating in my hand. Our daughter would know the truth — that it had not been a happy marriage at all. She would know, and my son would know.

“We stayed together for the kids” is a common refrain reflecting an ingrained belief that anything is better than a “broken family.” To which I silently reply, you aren’t fooling anyone. Children know on an intuitive level what their parents are thinking and feeling. Long frosty silences, screaming matches and unrelenting tension between parents can inflict damage on the well-being of their children .

I have spent much of the pandemic interviewing working women who are diverse across race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, geography, class, age and profession for a book I am writing about ambitious mothers and the benefits to their children when they prioritize their careers.

Talking to the subset who are divorced, I found a common theme, even a sisterhood: Divorce is painful and heartbreaking. But it can also be liberating , pointing the way toward a different life that leaves everyone better off, including the children.

One 38-year-old newly single mother who works full time and attends graduate school at night told me with pride that for the first time, she is living with her 9-year-old in an apartment she picked out, decorated and paid for on her own.

“Everything is my choice and I am in charge,” she said, adding that her former husband is an involved co-parent. “The relationship changed, but no one disappeared.”

That has certainly been my family’s experience: We split custody and finances down the middle, and I try to keep my longest working hours to the days I am alone. My ex-husband and I make a point of spending time together with our children, having regular dinners, watching sports and going for bike rides as a foursome. We strive to be collaborative and cooperative, even when we aren’t getting along. Our parenting styles remain very different, but we do not snipe at or undermine each other. We bite our tongues.

Recently I asked my daughter, now 10, how she felt. She told me: “Some of my friends spend more time with their parents, but I have to give you a lot of credit because those kids are in two-parent families. Our criminal justice system is horrible and messed up, and you are trying to help it get fixed.” She added, “I want to have a big career and try to get somewhere and have an impact.”

I would say that I am the happiest divorced person I know, but there is stiff competition . Divorce can, of course, be a miserable and rancorous experience, and one that leaves one or both former partners financially or emotionally broken. But for unhappily married women who are able to support themselves and their children, breaking free can also be like plunging into a cold ocean: a shock to the system that is at once brutal and cleansing. They can emerge stronger and clearer-eyed. Their children benefit because happier mothers are better parents.

I no longer think of divorce as shameful or feel sorry for people who tell me that they have decided to end their marriages. There are many ways a family can be broken. Sometimes, the healthiest decision is to remove the cracking shell of the nuclear family before the shards embed themselves in the precious little people nestled inside. My divorce spared my children that pain and let me live the life I was meant to. I view that as an accomplishment.

Lara Bazelon is a professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law and the author of the forthcoming book “Ambitious Like A Mother.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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152 Brilliant Divorce Essay Topics & Examples

For those who are studying law or social sciences, writing about divorce is a common task. Separation is a complicated issue that can arise from many different situations and lead to adverse outcomes. In this article we gathered an ultimate list of topics about divorce and gathered some tips to when working on the paper.

Persuasive & Argumentative Essays about Divorce: Free Tips

A divorce is a life-changing experience that affects spouses and their children (if there are any). Since divorce rates are relatively high in modern society, more and more people face this problem nowadays.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

When you are assigned to compose an argumentative essay about divorce, you should be as careful as possible. Remember that the split-up of marriage can be a painful experience for everyone involved.

The article will give you useful advice on how to write an outstanding paper on the topic. Learn the essential features of the following types:

• persuasive essay about divorce,
• for and against essay,
• causes and effects of divorce essay,

Check tips from Custom-writing.org below and write the best paper!

• 💍 How to Write It
• 📂 Essays by Type
• ✒ Causes and Effects

✍️ Divorce Essay Topics

💍 how to write a divorce essay.

The general structure of essays on divorce is quite common:

• introduction;
• conclusion.

Yet, there are some variations of what info to include in the body, depending on the essay type. The following structure is applicable for divorce argumentative essay. To learn about the features of other types, keep on reading our article.

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

Argumentative divorce essays are composed according to the standard structure:

1. Thesis Statement about Divorce

A divorce essay introduction isn’t anything extraordinary as you have to introduce your topic and position.

• You should always give broad information about the issue and state the main problems you will discuss in your writing.
• Make a general statement about the consequences of divorce or the common divorce effects on people.
• Then write your thesis statement on divorce. Clearly explain to the audience the topic you’re going to discuss and your position on that topic. In case you find this task difficult, try using a thesis generator for argumentative essay . This will save you some time.

That’s it! Now your divorce essay introduction is ready.

What’s next?

2. Main Body

This section presents all of your ideas and arguments related to the topic of divorce.

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• Here you can write about the adverse effects of divorce on children or the most common reasons people divorce.
• Use compelling arguments and support your ideas with examples.

There are tons of surveys and statistics about divorce on the internet, so it won’t be too challenging to gather the information you need.

3. Conclusion

In the last paragraph, you have to sum up your paper and leave a final expression.

• Summarize every idea presented in your divorce essay.
• Restate your thesis statement on divorce, relying on your reasoning.
• Then list your concluding thoughts on this topic.

Make your sentences clear and easy to follow. Use synonyms to improve your writing style. Such an approach will help you convince the readers and express your thoughts better.

📂 Divorce Essays by Type

The content and reasoning of each paper on divorce depend primarily on the type of essay . See the following sections to understand how to write each of them.

Here are a few types you can consider:

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

Argumentative Essay about Divorce

When it comes to divorce, there are many disputable topics—for example, the reasons people separate or its impact on children. It’s easy to find support and statistics for both issues. And you’ll need them as facts are a crucial part of a divorce argumentative essay.

As a starting point:

Research your idea and choose a side to support. Make sure that among all argumentative essay topics about divorce, you selected the most interesting for yourself. In your thesis statement, concisely express your position, so the reader can quickly get it.

Then, start writing the entire essay. Regardless of what type of paper you are writing—anti or pro divorce argumentative essay—your writing should meet these requirements:

• Base your points on logic;
• Present both sides of the arguments, but support only one;
• Take into consideration counterclaims;
• Support all the arguments by valid evidence;
• Use a calm, informative tone.

Don’t forget to incorporate quotes and figures to convince your readers.

Persuasive Essay about Divorce

What is the goal of writing persuasive essays ? It’s to convince your reader that your position on a particular problem is true.

Therefore, writing this paper means that you should identify an individual problem related to the topic. In the introduction of your persuasive essay about divorce, you should choose your side and deliver it to the reader.

Crucial note:

Similarly to an argumentative essay, you have to provide credible facts to support your position. Yet here, you use them to back up your opinion and persuade your reader.

While composing your persuasive essay about the legalization of divorce, remember its distinctive features:

• Based on emotions;
• Presents only one side of the argument;
• Ignores counterclaims;
• The tone is dynamic, emotionally-charged, and aggressive to some extent.

Cause and Effect Essay on Divorce

Whether it concerns old parents or a young couple, divorce typically has the same causes and effects. You can often see them clearly, even in books or movies.

The essay outline for the causes and effects of divorce essay is quite common:

• Introduction.

In your divorce essay introduction, provide a general background and compose a clear thesis statement. For example, your thesis might look like this:

A divorce, caused by the spouses’ expectations mismatch, results in a lack of communication between children and one of the parents.

In this part of your essay, investigate the cause and effect of divorce, you stated before.

For the given thesis, the main points would be the following:

The primary cause of divorce is the mismatch in the spouses’ expectations from the marriage.

The divorce often results in a lack of children’s interactions with one of the parents.

• Conclusion.

Synthesize all of your arguments and give your audience a space for a further investigation of your issue.

Narrative Essay about Divorce

If your assignment is to write a family essay, you can choose from a wide range of topics. For this purpose, a marriage essay or a divorce essay would be perfect.

In a short paper about your family, it isn’t easy to cover many topics. So choose only one.

Look through some narrative essay topics and select the one you like:

• The story of my divorce: how did I decide to break up with my spouse?
• My life completely changed after my parents divorced.
• How my life looked like before the divorce with my wife/husband and how it looks now.
• The way divorce destroys healthy communication between children and parents in my family.

For and Against Divorce Essay

As you know, both the negative and positive effects of divorce are disputable, making them appealing to discuss. There are many recent studies and relevant statistical data on the topic to help you write such an essay.

This topic would also be great for a speech on divorce.

Wondering what are the for and against divorce arguments? Take a look at the following:

✒ Divorce: Causes and Effects

We have a pleasant bonus for you! Below, you can find useful arguments and insightful ideas that you can use in your papers on divorce. Apply our concepts in any type of essay, adjusting them to your topic.

Divorce essays can cover the following issues:

Generally Known Facts on Divorces

When covering this issue in your persuasive essay on divorce, you will have to cover the problem altogether. Include the common marriage problems that psychologists all over the world study. Use their statistical data on divorces when crafting your argument.

Divorce is quite a broad topic, and you may want to narrow it down. With so much information available, you could write a research paper on divorce without any difficulty.

Statistical Data on Divorces

Good divorce essays should include enough statistical data. It will add more scientific value and reveal your research abilities. Besides, facts and figures present many exciting topics to comment on.

For example:

You can do significant research concerning divorce causes and consequences. Draw a contrast between divorce in several countries, or examine the age and education of people who officially separate more often.

Reasons for Divorces

What does an essay on divorce mean without discussion of its reasons?

Find out different sociologists’ viewpoints on the reasons for divorces. Then underline the cause you consider to be the most truthful one.

You can also provide your own theory on the grounds for divorces in your persuasive essay on divorce. The key point is to prove the accuracy of your statement.

Divorce Prevention Ideas

If there is a problem, there must be some solution. So, think of the possible ways to make a marriage work.

Investigate divorce causes from a scientific point of view. Examine the primary studies that reveal why people actually break up. Also, discuss the precautions that can help married couples avoid significant conflicts.

Effects of Divorce on Children

Parents sometimes forget that their divorce isn’t only about them but also about their children. It causes psychological problems for kids, which you can classify in your paper. Don’t forget to add some statistical data on divorce to support your arguments.

Every child reacts differently to their parents’ breakup. It’s a rare case when divorce consequences are positive, making the effects on kids an urgent topic to discuss.

Positive Effects of Divorce

Sometimes divorce isn’t a catastrophe but rather the only way to heal wounds and begin a new life. Often, people don’t recognize that they need to change their lives for the better. This situation is primarily related to abusive marriages or those with regular cheating.

In these cases, the positive effects of divorce may seem easy to understand. However, psychologists have to make great efforts to persuade people to end their relationships. Write a paper making this same argument.

• Negative outcomes of divorce on children .  
• Connection between divorce and antisocial behavior of children.  
• Family crises and the issue it causes: divorce, remarriage, stepparents, adoption. 
• Effect of divorce on teenagers ’ academic performance.  
• Causes and consequences of divorce . 
• What can be done to decrease divorce rates in America ?  
• Does parental divorce affect the rates of juvenile delinquency ? 
• The most widespread reasons for divorce .  
• Analyze marital success factors and Gottman’s predictors of divorce.  
• Impact of divorce on child’s mental health .  
• Change of divorce law throughout history.  
• Positive and negative changes in children’s behavior after divorce.  
• Divorce : a disaster or a benefit?  
• Is cheating one of the main reasons of divorce?  
• Gender stratification impact on divorce trends.  
• Effect of divorce on family relationship .  
• Do divorced parents change their child-rearing styles ?  
• List of factors typically associated with higher divorce rates .  
• The support required for all the members of divorced and single-parent families . 
• Analyze the reasons for high divorce rates . 
• Does divorce only impact adolescent in a bad way?  
• Effect of poverty on divorce rates.  
• Specifics of divorce in the UAE . 
• Does divorce lead to depression ?  
• Family therapy and its role in decreasing divorce rates.  
• The impact of divorce on children-parents relationship.  
• Evaluation of child custody in divorce proceedings.
• How to manage the stress of divorce.   
• Effect of divorce on children’s self-esteem.  
• How to minimize the devastating consequences of divorce .  
• Addiction as the reason for divorce.  
• Effective communication in marriage and its role in preventing divorce.  
• Divorce as the only way out of an abusive relationship.
• Financial issues of divorce and how to overcome them.  
• Parental support is the best way to help children to go through divorce.
• How do adolescents adjust to parental divorce?  
• Do boys and girls react to the parental divorce the same way?  
• Social media can destroy relationship and lead to divorce. 
• Can Christian counseling help couples to resolve their issues and avoid divorce?  
• Poverty among divorced women.  
• Young marriage has more chances to break-up.  
• Respect is the best way to get marriage satisfaction and avoid divorce.  
• Is interfaith marriage doomed to divorce? 
• Why a successful marriage may end in divorce?  
• Marriage contract will help to facilitate the legal side of divorce process.  
• Reduction of the number of divorces. 
• Personal development after divorce.  
• How family relationships influence future marriage and divorce chances of children. 
•  Child support in case of marriage divorce.  
• Will lack of family and work balance definitely result in divorce?  

If you are stuck on writing, you can always ask us for help! Whether you need a persuasive essay on divorce or any other paper, we are here and ready to assist.

Thanks for reading the article! Share it with friends who may need our tips or assistance.

Further reading:

• Top Ideas for Argumentative or Persuasive Essay Topics
• Best Argumentative Research Paper Topics
• 197 Inspirational & Motivational Argumentative Essay Topics
• Gun Control Essay: How-to Guide + Argumentative Topics
• Proposal Essay Topics and Ideas – Easy and Interesting
• Free Exemplification Essay Examples

🔗 References

• Essay Introductions
• Transitional Words and Phrases
• Argumentative Paper Format
• The Writing Process
• Divorce Argument Essay: Bartleby
• Cause and Effect Essay: The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Roane State Community College and UNC at Chapel Hill Writing Center
• Counterargument: Gordon Harvey, the Writing Center at Harvard University
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Divorce: meaning, stations, causes and impact of divorce.

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Divorce: Meaning, Stations, Causes and Impact of Divorce!

For many centuries, marriage was regarded as virtually indissoluble in many societies, including India, where it was regarded as ‘sacramental’ (religious). Divorces were granted only in limited cases in extraordinary circumstances.

But now almost all societies have made some provisions for divorce in certain situations. Today, marriage is less often seen as a sacred spiritual union, but more as a personal and practical commitment which can be broken if it fails. The trend is towards making marriage consensual.

Attitude to divorce is changing rapidly. It is no longer treated as an unpardonable sin. Even a few years ago, there was more of a stigma attaching to divorce. Now, it has become a more practical option for marital discord. It is believed to relieve married partners and their children from stress.

Though divorce is common in world’s societies, it is still seen as unfor­tunate. Even in societies with relatively high divorce rate there is no substantial approval of divorce. Rather, various procedures or mechanisms are evolved by which divorce is kept at a lower rate than would occur without these patterns.

But, due to marital dissolution, divorce rate is rising not only in Western countries, but also in India. At the same time, there are many countries like Japan and in certain Arab countries like Algeria where it is being dropped. However, the institution of divorce is gaining ground slowly and slowly and becoming respectable in almost all societies.

The ease of divorce also reflects that it ceases to be a stigma, especially for women. This attitude encourages divorce among those dissatisfied with their marriage. Women now have more options and less dependent on men.

Changes in the traditional structure of sex roles have altered the perceptions of both men and women about what they want from marriage. In this almost disposable age, people used to throw everything—lighters, tea cups, dress, furniture, curtains, etc., so they feel they can throw out a marriage too.

Now, a question arises: What is divorce? Actually, all marriages do not succeed; some also end in disharmony. Divorce is a formal (legal) and permanent form of breakup—termination of bonafide marriage. Another form of breakup is desertion.

It is illegal and unofficial on the part of either husband or wife or both to decide to leave each other and cease to discharge their role obligations. Mostly it is husbands who desert their wives. Desertion may be temporary or permanent.

Both forms (divorce and desertion) ultimately lead to family disorganization. It is the breakup of a family unit, the dissolution or fracture of a structure of social roles when one or more members fail to perform adequately their role obligations.

Divorce is the socially recognized and legal dissolution of marriage. According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Sociology (1994), ‘the formal legal dissolution of legally constituted marriage’ is called divorce. What constitute marriage and divorce varies widely.

Like marriage, it is governed by a variety of cultural rules and differs widely from society to society and over time. In countries such as Spain, Brazil and Peru marriage is indissoluble except by death. The laws of Islam and Judaism give a husband the power to terminate his marriage by simple renouncing his wife or wives. In many Western countries, including the USA, a divorce is granted if it is shown that the marriage has failed or on the basis of certain grounds or mutual consent.

Six Stations of Divorce :

Divorce is nearly always a tragedy, for it generally means blighted faith, broken truth and severe disillusionment. It is a complex and difficult experience for all family members. Anthropologist Paul Bohannan (1970) has identified six overlapping experiences which arise from divorce. Bohannan calls them ‘six stations of divorce’.

1. Emotional divorce, which represents the problem of the deteriorating marriage.

2. Legal divorce, based upon the grounds on which the marriage will be dissolved.

3. Economic divorce, which deals with the division of money and property.

4. Coparental divorce, which includes decisions regarding child custody and visitation rights.

5. Community divorce, the changes in friendships and institutional ties that a divorced person experiences.

6. Psychic divorce, focused on the person’s attempt to regain autonomy and self-esteem.

Causes of Divorce :

Why divorces take place? There is no satisfactory answer to this question. Whenever any two people interact, disagreement sometimes leading to conflict may arise on any point at any point of time and one person or both may go to the extent of breaking relationship.

This is true for all types of relationships including marital relationship. Unlike most relationships, however, marriage involves civil, legal or religious ties that specify if and how the relationship can end. All marriages cannot succeed and some end in disharmony and break and culminates into divorce. Generally, divorce is the outcome of the failure of marital adjustment between a husband and a wife.

Many studies carried out in India and elsewhere found that the important causes of divorce are domestic disharmony, ill-treatment of wife by husband or vice versa or by their relatives, cruelty (physical or mental), adultery, impotency, barrenness, immoral conduct of the spouse, illicit relations, alcoholism, etc.

Besides, there are many other factors involved which may lead to divorce such as financial problems, emotional immaturity, difficulties in adjustment with new environment and relationships, discrepancies in role expectations, etc.

When people from quite dissimilar backgrounds (different religion, caste, class, culture, educational status, ethnic group, etc.) marry, the necessary adjustments in role expectations are more difficult and a divorce is more likely. The main reason of divorce among such couples is often poor interpersonal communication.

This happens more in conjugal family than extended (joint)’ family where communication and other problems are sometimes solved by other members of the family. Lack of proper communi­cation may give rise to tension and conflict between the spouses, leading ultimately to divorce.

Increasing involvement of women in paid work (outside home) has resulted in contradictory demands of two roles (housewife and working woman) which can produce tension between husband and wife and leads the wife eventually to seek divorce.

The changing aspirations and a strong desire for greater independence and individual expression among men and women causes conflicting expecta­tions. It has become the main basis for the increasing divorce rates. Besides, changing aspirations, it is generally alleged that the tolerance levels of couples have gone down considerably.

Modern society attaches utmost importance to individuality and personal self-fulfillment. It evaluates marriage in terms of the level of satisfaction of personal ambitions it offers. The single lifestyle can offer certain freedom that married people may not enjoy. This feeling has also contributed much in the breakdown of marital relationship.

Moreover, there is a great decline in the feeling of commitment to marriage and family. This is because of the growing erosion in the old formal religious belief that marriage is a permanent and binding commitment and it is a God ordained relationship which cannot be broken. Moreover, too much importance was attached to the monogamy. It was often said that this is the only true form of marriage. But this is not correct.

Recent studies of zoologists have discovered that faithfulness is a fantasy even in the animal world. Almost every species of animals cheats on its partners—males a little more; females somewhat less.

Sexual prostitution is rampant even among the animals. At some basic level humans are animals too, and therefore there is breakdown of marriages. Statistics prove that in western countries slightly more than half married couples remain monogamous.

Not only this, perhaps the most important factor in the increase of divorce is the greater acceptance of divorce itself. Divorce is regarded as an appropriate response to marital disorganization. This attitude to marriage has resulted in a series of changes in law, making the ground for divorce less strict and easier.

To obtain a divorce in Western societies, it is enough merely to prove irretrievable breakdown of marriage. Thus, liberalization of laws has also increased the propensity for divorce proceedings to be initiated by women.

One more factor which has helped in increasing the number divorces is the transitory romantic love (having no real emotional attachment) on which the marital relations are found in modern societies. A high rate of marital breakdown, or the death of these romances, is an inevitable consequence of building relationship on such an unstable and fragile basis.

When the romantic love dies, it is seen that people resort to such action as divorce as a remedy to marital dis-adjustment. Improved birth control technology may have further contributed to sexual attitudes and behaviour based on pure personal gratifi­cation rather than any wider norms or morality.

It is estimated that in Britain over one-third of all marriages end in divorce and in the United States, the proportion of marriages to divorces is about two to one, i.e., one out of every two marriages ends in divorce. While in the Western countries, most of the divorcees remarry with other persons, in India, only a negligible number of divorcees remarry.

In March 2007, in one case (Ghosh vs. Ghosh), the Supreme Court of India granted divorce on the basis of ‘mental cruelty’.

The apex court has defined mental cruelty as:

i. Withholding sex without reason.

ii. Unilateral decision not to have a child.

iii. Abortion or sterilization without consent of spouse.

iv. Nagging behaviour.

v. Indifference and frigidity.

vi. Denial of company.

vii. Filthy language and verbal abuse.

viii. False allegations.

Commenting on this verdict, the activist and writer Madhu Kishwar said, ‘The verdict reveals that the institution of marriage is under crises …. The squabble at the level of the mind reflects the increasing complexity of man-woman relationship that challenges the very idea of marriage.

So how different is divorce in the new millennium?’ ‘The essentially private nature of modern marriages makes it difficult for those outside to understand, legislate, prove or judge what’s going on inside,’ says Andre Beteille, the eminent Indian sociologist.

‘But it’s increasingly clear that saying good bye to a spouse is no longer the dismal climax to protracted misery that it once was. The shift expresses the increasing recognition of men and women as individuals’ (India Today, April 16, 2007).

Impact of Divorce :

Divorce may be seen as a personal misfortune for one or both spouses in any society. It may happen at any time in the life of the family—even within a week or month after the marriage. It makes deep impact on the lives of marital partners, their children and the society as a whole.

It is difficult to draw up a balance sheet of the social advantages and costs of divorce. More tolerant attitudes towards divorce mean the couples can terminate an unrewarding relationship without incurring social ostracism.

(In India, however, such tolerant attitude has not yet developed.) On the other hand, marriage breakup is almost emotionally stressful for all the parties involved, i.e., husband, wife, children and other members of the family. (In India, the members of in-law family are also involved.)

Emotional disturbance may lead to personality disorganization. (Sometimes people become mad, lunatic or mentally derailed.) Old values, old definitions, old schemes of life organization all shatter and lose their validity.

Divorce may also create financial hardships for one or both parties. When a man divorces his non-earning wife, it seriously jeopardizes her life along with children. It brings many economic problems to women especially those depended on their husband. It forces her either to find work for herself or send children at the tender age for earning. Women and children who have never worked before often face severe economic hardships.

Divorce leads to the formation of single-parent family, usually mother household family, since the wife usually obtains custody of the children following a divorce. Because of economic hardships, some divorced women take to an immoral life (prosti­tution).

They may sometimes contract illicit sexual relationships just to earn a livelihood. This situation further may lead to many other associated problems like child labour, juvenile delinquency, disorganized personalities, neurotic disorders, depression and so on.

Disruption of family life caused by divorce affects the children very badly. Children reared in a happy home are more likely to grow up happy and psychologically healthy themselves. Psychiatric studies emphasize the diffi­culties experienced by people who as children lived in ‘broken homes or ‘chaotic families’.

At many times, after divorce children face the very first problem and that is of custody. Many children become the custody of a single parent. Not only do they lose the regular company of one parent, they may also have to move away from friends and family surroundings.

Living with one parent means losing other parent’s love and affection. For balanced person­ality development, supervision of both parents mother and father is essential. If parents remarry, children often face the problem of step parenting treatment.

The stepmother or stepfather cannot take the place of a real mother or father. They will always be fundamentally a stranger. Whether it is a single parent going it alone, or the remarrying parent creating a new household, such new living arrangements require new forms of parental relations to children as well as new problems.

Researches indicate that children do often suffer emotional anxiety after the separation of parents. Life in the single-parent family is extremely difficult, stressful, insecure and unhappy for them. The children of the divorced couple often face the social criticism when they are condemned, teased or taunted by their playmates.

Related Articles:

• Divorce System in the Tribal Society of India – Essay
• Divorce: Causes and Consequence

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Divorce Rate — Divorces In The US Society

Divorces in The Us Society

• Categories: Divorce Rate

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Published: Aug 16, 2019

Words: 2662 | Pages: 6 | 14 min read

Works Cited

• Amato, P. R. (2011). Divorce in the United States: Changes and consequences. Annual Review of Sociology, 37, 125-146.
• Hawkins, A. J. (n.d.). The seven principles for making marriage work: A practical guide from the country's foremost relationship expert. Harmony.
• Mooney, L. A. (2007). Theories of deviance (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Rampell, C. (2009). The new economics of marriage: The rise of wives. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/magazine/06marriage-t.html
• Subedi, B. P. (n.d.). Structural functionalism. Sociology Group. Retrieved from https://www.sociologygroup.com/structural-functionalism/
• Thornton, A. (1985). Changing attitudes toward family issues in the United States. Journal of Marriage and Family, 47(4), 873-882.
• Zagorsky, J. L. (2005). Marriage and divorce's impact on wealth. Journal of Sociology, 41(4), 406-424.
• Cooley, C. H. (1902). Human nature and the social order. Charles Scribner's Sons.
• Witt, J. (n.d.). The symbolic interactionist perspective and family studies. Sociology Group. Retrieved from https://www.sociologygroup.com/the-symbolic-interactionist-perspective-and-family-studies/
• Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. Prentice-Hall.

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Coming to Terms: Divorce Terminology in Court

Here's an explanation of the most common divorce terminology you're likely to encounter during your divorce – from "absolute divorce" to "writ of summons"..

By Divorce Magazine Updated: June 06, 2019 Categories: Divorce and Annulment , Preparing for Divorce

If you’ve chosen to litigate your divorce, you’re going to be hearing lots of unfamiliar terms as well as common words that have a very specific meaning in family law. Here’s an explanation of the most common divorce terminology you’re likely to encounter during your divorce.

• Absolute Divorce: The absolute ending of a marriage, leaving both parties free to remarry.
• Adversarial Divorce: When a couple cannot come to an agreement about the terms of their divorce.
• Ab Initio: Latin phrase meaning “from the beginning.”
• Action: Lawsuit or proceeding in a court of law.
• Affidavit: Written statement of facts made under oath and signed before a notary public or other officer who has authority to administer oaths.
• Agreement: Verbal or written resolution of previously disputed issues.
• Alimony  Also known as “Spousal Support” or “Maintenance”. The standard is to give support to the spouse who needs it in order to keep the family on an equal setting – however, there is an underlying duty for each spouse to work towards being independent of each other.
• Annulment: The legal end of an “Invalid Marriage”. In the eyes of the law, the parties were never married to each other, but all children of their relationship remain legitimate.
• Answer: Written response to a complaint, petition, or motion.
• Appeal: The process by which a higher court reviews the decision of a lower court to determine whether there was reversible error. If so, the appellate court amends the judgment or returns the case to the lower court for a new trial.
• Change of Venue: A change of judges or geographical location.
• Collusion: An agreement between two or more persons where one of the parties brings false charges against the other. Collusion is illegal.
• Common-Law Marriage or Relationship: Based on cohabitation where no formal marriage ceremony has taken place, this is a judicially recognized marriage in some U.S. states. All Canadian provinces recognize common-law relationships, but the rights and privileges are not the same as for those couple who entered into a legal marriage.
• Complainant: The one who files the suit, same as plaintiff.
• Complaint: This is a legal document filed by the plaintiff to start the divorce process. It states that the marriage has ended and lists the grounds and claims for the divorce. In some states it is also known as a petition.
• Condonation: The act of forgiving one’s spouse who has committed an act of wrongdoing that would constitute grounds for divorce. Condonation generally is proven by cohabitating with the spouse after learning that the wrongdoing was committed.
• Contempt of Court: The willful failure to comply with a court order, judgment, or decree by a party to the action. Contempt of Court may be punishable by fine or imprisonment.
• Contested Divorce: Any case where the judge must decide one or more issues that are not agreed to by the parties. All cases are considered contested until all issues have been agreed to.
• Corroborative Witness: A person who testifies for one of the parties and backs up their story.
• Court Order: A written instruction from the court carrying the weight of the law. Orders must be in writing. Anyone who knowingly violates a court order can be held in contempt of court.
• Cross Examination: The questioning of a witness presented by the opposing party on trial or at a deposition. The purpose is to test the truth of that testimony.
• Decree: The final ruling of the judge on an action for divorce, legal separation, or annulment. Decree has the same meaning as judgment.
• Decree Nisi / Rule Nisi: An order by the court stating that a conditional divorce will become absolute by a certain date unless a party contests the order.
• Default: A party’s failure to answer a complaint, motion or petition.
• Defendant: The partner in a marriage against whom a divorce complaint is filed. Defendant has the same meaning as respondent.
• Deposition: The testimony of a witness taken out of court under oath and reduced to writing. The deposition may be used to discredit a witness if he changes his testimony.
• Direct Examination: The initial questioning of a witness by the attorney who called him or her to the stand.
• Discovery: In the U.S., Discovery is a procedure followed by attorneys to determine the nature, scope, and credibility of the opposing party’s claim. Discovery can include depositions, written interrogatories, and notices to produce documentation relating to issues relevant to the case.
• Dismissal: Occurs when a party voluntarily drops the case (in some states) or when a judge finds that a case totally lacks merit.
• Dissolution of Marriage: The legal process of ending a marriage. In most U.S. states, this is the legal term for divorce.
• Divorce: The legal proceeding by which a marriage is legally terminated. It may be contested (where one party denies the allegation or wants to keep the marriage in place) or uncontested.
• Equitable: Means fair; does not necessarily mean equal.
• Evidence: Proof presented at a hearing, including testimony, documents or objects.
• Exhibits: Tangible things presented at trial as evidence.
• Ex Parte: An application for relief conducted for the benefit of one party only. These judicial proceedings are generally reserved for urgent matters in which requiring notice would subject one party (or his/her property) to irreparable harm. Examples include a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against an abusive spouse to stay away from the abused party, or a TRO stopping a spouse from removing or destroying family property.
• Expert Witness: In court proceedings, the expert witness is the professional whose testimony helps a judge reach a decision.
• File/Filing: To place a document in the official custody of some public official.
• Financial Affidavit/Statement: Key document used to collect financial data; in some states and provinces, it may be known as a “Financial Statement” and may use a standard form. This document becomes part of the record of documents that are filed with the court.
• Foundation: The evidence that must be presented before asking certain questions or offering documentary evidence in trial. If a piece of evidence lacks foundation (proof, facts to back it up) it will not be admitted or considered as evidence in the court case.
• Grounds for Divorce: Reasons for seeking a divorce, such as incompatibility, mental cruelty, physical abuse, or adultery. While some states allow fault grounds for divorce , all states have some form of no-fault divorce. Marriage breakdown is the sole ground for legally ending a marriage under the terms of Canada’s Divorce Act .
• Guardian-ad-Litem: A person appointed by a judge to prosecute or defend a case for a person legally unable to do so, such as a minor child.
• Hearing: Any proceeding before a judicial officer.
• Hearsay: Hearsay is an out-of-court statement offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted. Generally speaking, hearsay cannot be used at trial, but there are exceptions that permit it to be admitted in court.
• Incompatibility: The inability of persons to get along; a ground for divorce.
• Interrogatories: A series of written questions served upon the opposing party in order to discover certain facts regarding the disputed issues in a matrimonial proceeding.
• Judgment: The order of the court on a disputed issue; same as decree.
• Jurisdiction: The power of the court to rule upon issues relating to the parties, their children or their property.
• Legal Separation: Court ruling on the division of property, spousal support, and responsibility to children when a couple wishes to separate but not divorce. A legal separation is most often desired for religious or medical reasons. A decree of legal separation does not dissolve the marriage and does not allow the parties to remarry. Some states do not recognize legal separation.
• Lis Pendens: A piece of property cannot be transferred during a pending lawsuit that may change the disposition of it, once a notice has been filed in the public record.
• Litigation: The process by which a civil case settles parties’ rights.
• Maintenance:  See “Alimony”.
• Modification: A change in the judgment, based on a change in circumstances.
• Motion: An application or request to the court for an order. A Motion may be written or verbal.
• No-Fault Divorce: A marriage dissolution system whereby divorce is granted without the necessity of proving one of the parties guilty of marital misconduct.
• Nuptial: Pertaining to marriage.
• Order: A ruling by the court.
• Pendente Lite Orders: A temporary order of the Court that provides support until the divorce is finalized. Pendente Lite or Temporary orders are automatic in some areas.
• Perjury: The act of lying while under oath.
• Petition: A written application for particular relief from the court. In some jurisdictions complaint for divorce is entitled “petition for dissolution.”
• Petitioner: The person who filed the Petition or Complaint. Also referred to as the Plaintiff.
• Plaintiff: The spouse who initiates the legal divorce process by filing a complaint or petition stating that the marriage is over and listing the grounds and claims against the other spouse. Plaintiff is the same as Petitioner.
• Precedent: Decisions found in other pre-existing cases that factor into the case at hand.
• Prenuptial Agreement/Marriage Contract: Prior to their marriage, partners can contractually agree how assets and liabilities will be divided in the event of a divorce with a prenuptial agreement (commonly known as a “prenup”). In Canada, this is known as a “Marriage Contract”.
• Privilege: The right of a spouse to make admissions to an attorney, clergyman, psychiatrist or others as designated by state law that are not later admissible as evidence.
• Pro Se Divorce:  Sometimes called “ In Propria Persona ” or “ Pro Per ” (from the Latin meaning “in one’s own person”), or “self-represented” litigation, in this approach to divorce, either one or both parties choose not to hire a lawyer to represent them. The Latin term Pro Se translates as “on one’s own behalf”, meaning that the litigant is acting as his/her own attorney in a lawsuit – including self-representation in court.
• Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO): In the U.S., this is a court ruling earmarking a portion of a person’s retirement or pension fund payments to be paid to his/her ex-spouse as part of a division of marital assets.
• Quid Pro Quo: The giving of one valuable thing for another.
• Rebuttal: The introduction of evidence at a trial that is in response to new material raised by the defendant at an earlier stage of the trial.
• Reconciliation: When parties decide to get back together. They may sign a reconciliation agreement, which is enforceable by the court.
• Respondent (Defendant): The party defending against a divorce petition (complaint).
• Restraining Order: A court order prohibiting a party from certain activities. Restraining orders are often issued to protect against domestic violence or to protect marital assets. In some jurisdictions, violating a “domestic restraining order” is a criminal offense.
• Retainer: Money paid by the client to the lawyer or expert witness to obtain a commitment to handle the client’s case. A retainer can be a deposit against which the lawyer or expert witness charges fees as they are earned.
• Rules of Evidence: The rules that govern the method of presentation and admissibility of oral and documentary evidence at court hearings or depositions.
• Separation or Settlement Agreement: A written contract dividing property, spelling out rights and obligations, as well as settling issues such as spousal and child support and custody.
• Service: Providing a copy of the papers being filed to the opposing party.
• Spousal Support:  See “Alimony”.
• Standard of Living: A factor when determining spousal support, allowing the recipient an adequate amount to maintain their current lifestyle.
• Stipulation: An agreement between the parties or their counsel, usually related to matters of procedure.
• Subpoena: A court order requiring a person’s appearance in court or at a deposition as a witness or to present documents or other evidence for a case.
• Summons: A Summons is a written notification to the defendant or respondent that an action has been filed against him or her. It notifies a spouse of his/her rights and obligations in responding to the Complaint for Divorce.
• Testimony: Statements under oath by a witness in a court hearing or deposition.
• Transcripts: The written record of the divorce proceedings, testimony or depositions.
• Trial: The time when a judge hears the contested permanent or temporary issues, with supporting evidence and witnesses, in a couple’s divorce decisions. The judge may take a few hours or a few weeks to review the information presented and issue a court opinion.
• Uncontested Divorce: When the defendant is not going to try to stop the divorce and there are no issues for the court to decide about the children, money or property.
• Venue: The County in which the case is heard.
• Voir Dire: Where the opposing counsel has the opportunity to disqualify an expert witness.
• Writ of Summons: A form issued by the court directing a party to respond to a complaint, motion or petition.

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Golf champ Rory McIlroy files for divorce after seven years of marriage

P ro golfer Rory McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife of seven years a day after winning his 26th PGA Tour event and just as the PGA Championship is set to begin.

The 35-year-old filed his petition Monday in Palm Beach County, Fla., saying that his marriage to Erica McIlroy (née Stoll) is "irretrievably broken," which is comparable to citing irreconcilable differences in a divorce petition filed in California. Erica was served with divorce papers Monday and has 20 days to respond.

The couple, who share a 3-year-old daughter, have a pre-marital agreement, which is also mentioned in the filing.

The four-time major champion and his wife first met in 2012 when Stoll worked the Ryder Cup event for the PGA. The golfer has credited her with helping him get a police escort so that he wouldn't miss his tee time. McIlroy was dating and engaged to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki before he and Stoll struck up a romance. McIlroy and Wozniacki broke off their engagement in 2014, just days after sending out wedding invitations. That same year, he began dating Stoll. The two wed in 2017 during a lavish ceremony at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland, and welcomed their first child in 2020.

A representative for McIlroy declined to comment when reached Tuesday by The Times. In a statement issued to NBC and other outlets, McIlroy's communications team "stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible.”

The two-time World Champion is scheduled to speak with the media Wednesday at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky ahead of the 106th PGA Championship this weekend.

Though ranked No. 2 in the world , McIlroy has one title that still eludes him: The Masters, played every spring in Augusta, Ga. This year the green jacket went to world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, while a frustrated McIlroy tied for 22nd place.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .

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Rory McIlroy files for divorce from his wife of 7 years on the eve of the PGA Championship

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce after seven years of marriage, according to court records in Palm Beach County, Florida, a stunning development going into the  PGA Championship .

McIlroy and his wife, Erica Stoll, had a storybook meeting during the Ryder Cup in 2012, began dating two years later and were  married in 2017 . They have one daughter, Poppy, born in September 2020.

TMZ first reported on the filing, which was made Monday. There were no documents immediately available from the petition for dissolution of marriage.

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McIlroy’s attorney was listed as Thomas Sasser, the same attorney who represented Tiger Woods when his wife divorced him in 2010.

“Rory McIlroy’s communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed. They stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible,” said a statement from his manager, Sean O’Flaherty.

He said there would be no further comment.

McIlroy arrived at  Valhalla  on Tuesday. He has gone 10 years since winning a major, the last one at Valhalla in 2014 for the PGA Championship. His pre-tournament news conference was scheduled for Wednesday.

McIlroy and Stoll met under unusual circumstances. She worked for the PGA of America in 2012 during the Ryder Cup at Medinah in the Chicago suburbs, where McIlroy nearly missed his Sunday singles match because he said he forgot he was in the Central time zone.

Stoll arranged for a police escort to Medinah, and McIlroy barely arrived in time. He won his match over Keegan Bradley as Europe rallied to win.

McIlroy was dating tennis star Caroline Wozniacki at the time. They were engaged just over a year later, but then McIlroy abruptly broke it off over the phone.

He and Stoll began dating later that year. They were engaged in 2015.

McIlroy filed for the divorce a day after he  won the Wells Fargo Championship  in Charlotte, North Carolina, his second straight PGA Tour win and the 26th of his career. Asked if he planned to go straight to Valhalla on Sunday night, McIlroy said, “I’ll probably go home and just sort of reset, then head up to Louisville tomorrow night or Tuesday morning.”

The divorce filing comes amid chaos in golf created by the launch of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. McIlroy has been a central figure over the last two years, harshly criticizing LIV and then changing his views and pushing for some form of reunification.

He resigned from the PGA Tour board last November, then was involved in a  plan to rejoin the board  by replacing Webb Simpson. That move was met by resistance from other player directors. Instead,  McIlroy was appointed to a committee  that is negotiating with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia over potentially becoming a minority investor.

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Loreal Palmer Is In Her Main Character Era

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Rory McIlroy Files for Divorce from Wife Erica Stoll After 7 Years of Marriage

The pro-golfer filed for divorce on May 13 in Palm Beach County, Florida, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE

Ross Kinnaird/Getty

Rory McIlroy is divorcing wife Erica Stoll after seven years of marriage.

The 35-year-old pro-golfer filed for divorce from Stoll, 36, according to court documents filed in Florida, and obtained by PEOPLE. McIlroy filed the petition to dissolve the marriage on May 13.

Stoll and McIlroy share one daughter, Poppy , who they welcomed in 2020.

McIlroy and Stoll married on April 22, 2017, during a lavish ceremony at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland. According to E! News , the wedding had very tight security and included several A-list celebrity guests from  Stevie Wonder  to actor  Jamie Dornan .

Over the course of their relationship, Stoll had been a supportive figure for McIlroy at his tournaments, from caddying for him at the 2023 Masters Par 3 contest to cheering him on at the Ryder Cup in Italy.

Stoll, a former employee of the PGA of America, met McIlroy in 2012 at the Ryder Cup where she had been working as a transport official. After McIlroy overslept because of a time zone mixup and nearly missed his tee time, Stoll got him a police escort to the course in Medinah, Illinois.

However, the couple didn't become romantically involved until years later in 2014. McIlroy had been dating tennis player  Caroline Wozniacki  when he first met Stoll.  McIlroy and Wozniacki got engaged  on New Year's Eve in 2013 but  he broke things off a few months later .

McIlory recalled his first time meeting Stoll during an interview on the  Golf Channel .

"Erica that week was always the one that was checking us in and out. She was there at transportation, so she was always in the car park over there. But yeah, it's still cool to look around and think about that week, and obviously everything that's happened since then. It's pretty cool," he said.

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Stoll and McIlroy officially started dating in late 2014, but kept their relationship quiet and didn't make many public appearances as a couple at the start.

In May 2015, about six months into dating, McIlroy  spoke to the  Times of London  about his relationship with Stoll. "I am very happy in my love life. We haven't really been putting it out there. She is from America, which is why I like to spend time in Palm Beach … The past six or seven months have been really nice. That part of my life is going great," McIlroy said.

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Q: I was served with divorce papers. We shared 4 pets and she is denying me custody or visitation. How do I get this added?

How do I get my request for visitation and custody of two of the dogs added to divorce settlement?

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A: In California, pets are considered personal property in a divorce, but the court may consider the care and well-being of the animals when deciding who gets ownership. To request visitation or custody of your pets, you should follow these steps: 1. Respond to the divorce petition: In your response, state that you disagree with the proposed division of property, specifically regarding the pets, and that you want to request custody or visitation rights. 2. Propose a pet custody plan: Develop a plan that outlines how you and your spouse will share custody of the pets or arrange visitation. Consider factors such as who has been the primary caregiver, who has the most suitable living situation for the pets, and how you will handle veterinary care and expenses. 3. Attempt mediation: If possible, try to negotiate a pet custody agreement with your spouse through mediation. A mediator can help you and your spouse reach a mutually agreeable solution without going to court. 4. File a motion: If mediation is unsuccessful, file a motion with the court requesting custody or visitation rights for the pets. In the motion, explain why you believe it's in the pets' best interest to have a shared custody arrangement or to grant you visitation rights. 5. Attend the hearing: The court will schedule a hearing to consider your motion. Be prepared to present your case and explain why your proposed pet custody plan is in the animals' best interest. Remember, the court's primary concern is the well-being of the pets, so focus on demonstrating how your proposed arrangement will ensure their proper care and maintain their quality of life. It's advisable to consult with a family law attorney experienced in handling pet custody issues to guide you through the process and help you present a strong case.

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Rory McIlroy files for divorce from his wife of 7 years ahead of the PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, holds the trophy after winning the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club Sunday, May 12, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, celebrates after an eagle on the 15th hole from the bunker during the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club Sunday, May 12, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, celebrates after winning the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club Sunday, May 12, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce after seven years of marriage, according to court records in Palm Beach County, Florida, a stunning development going into the PGA Championship .

McIlroy and his wife, Erica Stoll, had a storybook meeting during the Ryder Cup in 2012, began dating two years later and were married in 2017 . They have one daughter, Poppy, born in September 2020.

TMZ first reported on the filing, which was made Monday.

The petition for divorce described the marriage as irretrievably broken and asked that a prenuptial agreement signed about a month before their April 21, 2017, wedding be validated and enforced. The prenuptial agreement was sealed.

McIlroy’s attorney was listed as Thomas Sasser, the same attorney who represented Tiger Woods when his wife divorced him in 2010.

“Rory McIlroy’s communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed. They stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible,” said a statement from his manager, Sean O’Flaherty.

He said there would be no further comment.

McIlroy arrived at Valhalla on Tuesday. He has gone 10 years since winning a major, the last one at Valhalla in 2014 for the PGA Championship. His pre-tournament news conference was scheduled for Wednesday.

McIlroy and Stoll met under unusual circumstances. She worked for the PGA of America in 2012 during the Ryder Cup at Medinah in the Chicago suburbs, where McIlroy nearly missed his Sunday singles match because he said he forgot he was in the Central time zone.

Stoll arranged for a police escort to Medinah, and McIlroy barely arrived in time. He won his match over Keegan Bradley as Europe rallied to win.

McIlroy was dating tennis star Caroline Wozniacki at the time. They were engaged just over a year later, but then McIlroy abruptly broke it off over the phone.

He and Stoll began dating later that year. They were engaged in 2015.

McIlroy filed for the divorce a day after he won the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, his second straight PGA Tour win and the 26th of his career. Asked if he planned to go straight to Valhalla on Sunday night, McIlroy said, “I’ll probably go home and just sort of reset, then head up to Louisville tomorrow night or Tuesday morning.”

The divorce filing comes amid chaos in golf created by the launch of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. McIlroy has been a central figure over the last two years, harshly criticizing LIV and then changing his views and pushing for some form of reunification.

He resigned from the PGA Tour board last November, then was involved in a plan to rejoin the board by replacing Webb Simpson. That move was met by resistance from other player directors. Instead, McIlroy was appointed to a committee that is negotiating with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia over potentially becoming a minority investor.

Associated Press Writer Terry Spencer in Palm Beach, Florida, contributed to this report.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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Rory McIlroy files for divorce from wife Erica Stoll after 7 years of marriage

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Northern Irish professional golfer Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll’s marriage is over.

His rep confirmed to Page Six that divorce documents had been filed on Monday after seven years of marriage.

According to docs obtained by Page Six, McIlroy was the one to file to end their union in Florida, citing that the marriage was “irretrievably broken.”

His rep told us that his desire is “to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible” and pointed out that “he will not be making any further comment.”

In the filing, McIlroy stated he and Stoll should have “shared parental responsibility” for their 3-year-old daughter, Poppy, and create a parenting plan.

He also wants the court to uphold their prenuptial agreement, which was signed in March 2017.

TMZ was the first one to report the news.

Stoll, 36, and the athlete, 35, first met in 2012 at the Ryder Cup, where she worked as a PGA transport official.

During a 2019 interview with the Golf Channel , the golfer recalled meeting her when she got him a police escort to his course after he overslept.

“Erica, that week, was always the one that was checking us in and out. She was there at transportation, so she was always in the car park over there,” he told the outlet at the time.

“But yeah, it’s still cool to look around and think about that week and, obviously, everything that’s happened since then. It’s pretty cool.”

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The pair went on to tie the knot in 2016 in a lavish star-studded wedding at the medieval Ashford Castle in Ireland.

The nuptials — which reportedly cost a whopping $250,000 — were kept under wraps and included several A-listers such as Stevie Wonder, Niall Horan, Ed Sheeran and Chris Martin.

By 2020, the couple revealed they were expecting their first child together when Stoll was in her third trimester. They welcomed daughter Poppy in August of that year.

The four-time major champion celebrated the birth of his daughter on Instagram by sharing a black-and-white photo of the infant holding his finger.

“Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, born August 31st, 12:15pm,” he wrote in September 2020.

“She is the absolute love of our lives. Mother and baby are doing great. Massive thank you to all the staff at Jupiter Medical Center and Dr Sasha Melendy for their amazing care ❤️❤️❤️.”

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