Grounds for Divorce

The state of Massachusetts recognizes both fault and no-fault grounds for divorce.

The only no-fault ground in Massachusetts is "Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage." Under this ground, the spouses have the right to file for divorce jointly (called 1A divorce in Massachusetts), or they may follow a traditional option where one party is a plaintiff and the other is a defendant (called a 1B divorce).

The fault-based grounds for divorce imply that the spouse's misconduct led to divorce. All fault-based grounds must be proven in court by the plaintiff to be recognized as valid.

Fault-based grounds for divorce in Massachusetts include cruelty, physical or emotional abuse, abandonment for at least a year, drug/alcohol addiction, gross neglect, adultery, impotence, and conviction of a felony crime.