Divorce

The legal reasons for getting a divorce are called the “grounds” for the divorce. There are nine possible legal reasons for getting a divorce in the CNMI. You can only get a divorce for one or more of these reasons:  

1. Adultery -  Your spouse willingly had sex with someone else.
2. Cruel treatment or neglect - Your spouse treated you cruelly or neglected you so much that you couldn’t live with him/her anymore. Note: The cruel treatment could be physical abuse, but it doesn’t have to be.
3. Willful desertion - Your spouse left you without plans to return (deserted you) for at least one year.
4. Alcohol or drug use (“habitual intemperance”) - Your spouse often (habitually) used alcohol or drugs to get drunk or high for at least one year.
5. Prison sentence - Your spouse was sentenced to prison for three years or more.
6. Insanity - Your spouse is insane and has been for at least three years.
7. Living apart - You and your spouse lived apart for at least two years.
8. Disagreements you can’t resolve (“irreconcilable differences”) - Your marriage has broken down so much that you and your spouse disagree about important things and can’t resolve your disagreements. Note: The legal term for this is “irreconcilable differences.” 
9. Lack of financial support- Your husband didn’t financially support you even though he could have or he didn’t financially support you because he is lazy (idleness), he has low moral standards and behavior (profligacy), or he wasted marital money (dissipation). Note: This ground only applies to husbands who do not support their wives, not vice versa.¹

¹ 8 CMC § 1331