08/17/2026
Making divorce harder doesn’t make marriage stronger.
Some states still require people to wait months or even a year to end a marriage that’s already over.
These laws can prolong financial uncertainty, conflict. And they can be dangerous. A mandatory waiting period can keep someone financially tied to an abusive spouse, make it harder to fully separate households, and give a controlling partner more time to use money, housing or the legal process itself as leverage.
And then there’s the financial burden of being forced to separate before you can even file. That can mean paying for a second household, deposits, rent, utilities and childcare before you have any legal clarity about support, property or what happens next.
We can protect kids, finances and vulnerable spouses without forcing people to stay legally tied to someone they’ve already decided to leave.
Divorce reform shouldn’t be controversial.
Rebecca Feinglos has been pushing to change North Carolina’s outdated divorce laws after living through them herself. Jen Hamilton has helped bring a massive audience to the fight.
And thank you to Vox for taking a serious look at why these laws still exist and what it will take to change them.
Article linked in stories.
