Bill > S626

This bill makes several significant changes to North Carolina divorce and family law. First, it reduces the required separation period for obtaining a divorce from one year to six months, with two important exceptions: (1) divorcing parties can mutually agree to waive the six-month requirement if the divorce is uncontested and does not involve minor children, and (2) victims of domestic violence can seek a divorce immediately without waiting six months if they provide documented evidence of abuse from sources like law enforcement records, domestic violence program documentation, or medical professional statements. The bill also abolishes two traditional common law civil actions: alienation of affection (where a third party is sued for interfering with a marriage) and criminal conversation (a legal term for adultery-related civil suits), effectively eliminating these types of lawsuits in North Carolina. Additionally, the bill clarifies that isolated incidents of sexual intercourse or cohabitation for financial reasons will not reset the separation period. The changes are designed to modernize divorce procedures, provide more protection for domestic violence victims, and remove outdated legal mechanisms for addressing marital disputes. The law will apply to actions commenced on or after its effective date, and will not impact cases already pending when the act becomes law.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S626