Legal Definitions - breakdown of the marriage

Definition: Breakdown of the marriage refers to the situation where a married couple is no longer able to live together as a result of irreconcilable differences or incompatibility. It is also known as irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, irremediable breakdown of the marriage, or simply, no-fault divorce.

Example: In many states, a couple can file for divorce based on the ground of irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. For instance, if a couple has been living separately for a certain period of time and there is no chance of reconciliation, they can file for divorce on the ground of breakdown of the marriage.

Explanation: The example illustrates how a couple can use the ground of breakdown of the marriage to file for divorce. In this case, the couple has been living separately for a certain period of time, which indicates that they are no longer able to live together. The ground of breakdown of the marriage allows them to file for divorce without having to prove any fault or wrongdoing on the part of either spouse.