Definition of a fault divorce
A fault divorce is a type of divorce in which one spouse alleges that the other spouse is responsible for the breakdown of the marriage due to specific grounds or fault-based reasons, such as adultery, cruelty, abandonment, or substance abuse. In a fault divorce, the accusing spouse must provide evidence of the alleged misconduct in court to support their claim for the divorce. This is in contrast to a no-fault divorce, where the spouses can seek a divorce without having to prove that one party is at fault for the marriage’s dissolution. Fault divorces are less common in modern legal systems, as many jurisdictions now primarily offer no-fault divorce options.