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Divorce is among resolutions made by some Ohio spouses

On Behalf of | Jan 10, 2014 | Divorce

The start of a new year traditionally signals change. Promises are made, after short or long periods of contemplation, to make positive improvements in response to January’s new, blank page. For some Columbus spouses, a New Year’s vow includes plans to divorce.

With the calendar cleared of major holidays, the beginning of the year sometimes is also the beginning of the end to marriage. Divorce attorneys see a noticeable increase in clients immediately after the regular pace of post-holiday life resumes.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention don’t show a monthly breakdown for the U.S. divorce rate. However, the numbers do indicate patterns by state. In 1990, the rate was 4.7 for every 1,000 Ohio residents. Between then and the recession years of 2008 and 2009, the rate bottomed out at 3.3 divorces per 1,000 people.

The CDC also collected statistics that showed the decline in the popularity of marriage. The 1990 Ohio marriage rate was nine percent and fell precipitously below six percent by 2009.

The rest of the U.S. population followed suit. Between 2000 and 2011, the national marriage rate per 1,000 people peaked at 8.2 and dropped to 6.8. The divorce rate was at 4 per 1,000 residents in 2000 and dipped to 3.5 during the recession. In 2011, the decline in divorces slightly reversed.

Reasons for divorce vary with opinion. Couples are no longer required to place blame to end marriages. Statisticians and legal advisers and observers use trends and experience to make assumptions about marital breakups.

Spouses may not share details about a broken marriage, but all have common ground during the divorce process. A desire to divorce must be accompanied by a plan for property division and child custody.

The decisions made during the Ohio divorce process are lasting. An attorney can ensure that the settlement agreement is also beneficial, in the present and future.

Source: WDAF-TV, “New year signals divorce proceedings for many couples” Macradee Aegerter, Jan. 02, 2014

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