Did Divorce Rates Increase During COVID?
Did COVID really affect divorce rates?
A true global experience is pretty rare. But such was the case when the COVID-19 began its spread around the world in the early months of 2020. Even now, nearly two years later, this virus continues to shape the way we live.
Early on in the pandemic, COVID’s effects seemed to highlight many things that under more normal circumstances were otherwise easy for many people to ignore: vulnerabilities in our global economy, national social and political tensions, and, on a personal scale, relationship issues with partners and spouses.
The instability and fear of the unknown understandably created a great deal of mental and emotional stress, stress that had far fewer answers than normal and even fewer outlets, due to lockdown-related measures.
Sure, many of us took solace in our sourdough starters and Zoom happy hours, but legitimate fears about lost income and potential threats to our and our children’s health began to take a toll. From this, a common narrative started to pop up: Divorce rates were skyrocketing under COVID-19.
People were forced to stay in their homes, and the combined stresses of pandemic life and already rocky relationships meant that marriages around the world were crumbling. But...were they?
Divorce rates declined in 2020. But why?
Despite the narrative stating otherwise — British tabloid The Daily Mail falsely reported in August of 2020 that divorce in the United States has risen by 34% — the actual statistics look quite different.
In the past decade, according to the most-recently published U.S. Census data, divorce rates saw a 20% decline. Honing in pandemic numbers, the number of people filing for divorce in Oregon actually dropped by about 12% by the end of 2020.
But why? Though we can only speculate, there are a few reasons we can safely assume divorce rates have been dropping throughout the pandemic:
Practicality — With so many pandemic-related factors creating instability in people’s lives, adding one more incredibly major life change could create a breaking point for people.
Going back to the earlier months of the pandemic, just imagine how difficult it would be to find a new place to live, to pack up one’s possessions and move, and to work out things like parenting time across multiple households during a global health crisis.
Some people, we imagine, really did work out the issues in their relationship, whereas others made a practical choice to endure their situation as best they could until the world opened up a little more.
A backed-up court system — For well over a year, courts in Oregon were technically open, but were massively restricted for safety reasons and cases were delayed to an almost unprecedented degree.
Many people, knowing the state of the court system while also knowing how emotionally stressful waiting for the courts to catch up with backlogged cases would be, simply decided to wait until the time was right to dissolve their marriages.
How do I file for divorce in Oregon?
Though there are still many cases waiting to be heard by the court system, and we’re not quite out of the woods pandemic-wise, due to variants and other factors, the world has opened up considerably since COVID first began its spread around the world. We have a great deal more knowledge about the virus, not to mention multiple vaccines designed to further thwart its spread.
This means that people who perhaps weren’t in a position to make a life change as big as a divorce might be in a better place to manage such a transition. Here’s what you need to know:
You don’t need a “legal reason” to get a divorce in Oregon. We are a no-fault state.
Either you or your spouse must have lived in Oregon for at least six months before filing.
You must file for divorce in the county that one of you lives in.
You can obtain a divorce without the assistance of legal counsel, but this is typically most effective in cases where the divorce is uncontested, there are no children, and the couple has no assets of significance.
Either you or your legal counsel must file a petition for the dissolution of marriage at your local county courthouse.
Your spouse (the respondent) must be served with your petition and any other relevant documents notifying them of your intent to divorce unless you have agreed upon everything in advance and filed agreed upon paperwork.
There are fees associated with filing your petition, and often there are fees associated with serving your spouse the petition.
If your spouse agrees to your terms, then a response isn’t required.
Absent an agreement, your spouse has thirty days to respond to your petition.
The more complex the divorce (i.e. The more property and assets you have and the more complicated the child-related arrangements are), the more your divorce will ultimately cost if lawyers are involved.
The same goes for how long your divorce will take — the more complex it is, the longer it will take.
If you changed your name when you married, you may either keep your married name, or you may change it back to a name you held before. Your spouse cannot decide this for you.
Mediation is a highly recommended method of resolving the terms of divorce, wherein a trained mediator will work with you in order to help you come to more equitable agreements regarding spousal support, child support, and parenting time.
Are you seeking legal counsel? Do you need assistance in filing for divorce?
Contact DBMA today!
Our team is here to help you achieve the results and resolution that you need for your divorce. Divorce is stressful. Find the peace of mind and clarity you need during this time by working with DBMA to resolve your family law matter. Call now.