|
Country | Divorce Rate per 1000 in 1999 |
Effective Waiting Period for No-Fault Divorce |
Reconciliation Counseling Law |
|
Ireland | -- | 4 years. |
All lawyers must give clients names of qualified counselors. |
| Italy | 0.60 (in 2000) | 3 years. | None. |
| Greece | 0.90 | 4 years. | None. |
| Spain | 0.94 | 1 year. | One session required. |
|
Poland | 1.09 | N/A. (No no-fault divorce.) | One session required, with judge, who may then refer couple to specialists. |
| Bulgaria | 1.19 | N/A. (No no-fault divorce.) | One session required. Judge may require more sessions. |
| Portugal | 1.79 | 3 years. (1 year with consent to divorce; None if also a full agreement on child and economic issues.) |
One session required. |
|
France | 1.98 | 6 years. (None with mutual consent.) |
One session required. |
|
Norway | 2.04 | 1 year. |
None. |
| Netherlands | 2.12 | None. | None. |
| Austria | 2.29 | 3 years. (6 months with mutual consent.) |
Judge can delay to allow reconciliation, but counseling is only if both spouses want. |
| Czech Rep. | 2.30 | None. (But court may deny divorce for "hardship.") |
None. |
| Germany | 2.32 | 3 years. (But court may deny divorce for "hardship." 1 year with mutual consent.) |
Judge can delay to allow reconciliation, but not if both spouses object and have lived apart 3 years. |
| Sweden | 2.37 | 6 months. (None with mutual consent.) |
None. |
| Denmark | 2.54 | 1 year. (6 months with mutual consent.) |
Only if both spouses want. |
|
Hungary | 2.54 | None. | Mandatory, without exception. Also, judge may delay case for 3 months, and divorce case is then dismissed unless both parties want it to continue. |
| Belgium | 2.58 | 2 years. (None with mutual consent.) |
If either spouse wants. |
|
England/ Wales | 2.66 | 5 years. (2 years with mutual consent.) |
All lawyers must discuss reconciliation with clients, and give names of qualified counselors. |
| Scotland | 2.66 | 5 years. (2 years with mutual consent.) |
None. |
| Finland | 2.72 | 6 months. | None. |
| Switzerland | 2.91 | 4 years. (None with mutual consent and a full agreement on child and economic issues.) |
None. |
| Russia | 3.65 | None. (But husband cannot file for divorce without wife’s consent while she is pregnant or a child is under 1 year old.) | Judge can delay to allow reconciliation for up to 3 months, but only in a contested case. |