Marital Dissolution Laws

Abstract

This article reviews the consequences of recent changes in the laws of marital dissolution. Two of the major trends are the removal of misconduct as a ground for divorce and the removal of gender as a criterion for settlements. The major consequence of these changes has been the deterioration of the economic well-being of divorced females, particularly those from long-term marriages. To help reduce these inequalities it is recommended that legislatures and courts place explicit economic value on the nonmonetary contributions spouses make to their marriages.