Can my spouse divorce me without my consent?

The short answer is yes. Since the introduction of the “no-fault” divorce system, it is now possible to commence divorce proceedings without the need for mutual agreement, or assigning blame for the breakdown of a marriage.

One spouse can now file for divorce on a sole basis by simply stating that the marriage has irretrievably broken down, without requiring the other spouse’s consent.

The spouse who receives the application for divorce can only contest the divorce on very specific and limited technical grounds.