Although more than 50 percent of marriages end in divorce in the United States, it’s not something you plan on when you first get married. That being said, the issue can become further complicated when dealing with a judge who seems to be partial toward preventing someone from exercising his or her right to terminate his or her marriage.
When it comes to one Fayette County Family Court Judge, he has recently come under heat for advocating lengthening the waiting period for a divorce from 60 days to 180 days for couples with children. The reason being, he believes couples with children should be afforded more time to contemplate whether divorce is truly right for them.
While it’s not all that uncommon that a judge may require a couple with children to undergo special hearings; the judge in question came under disciplinary action for ordering every couple seeking a divorce to be subject to such proceedings. He did so on the grounds that he believed that the marital process was too simple and informal.
The judge is well known for his conservative views on family and opposition to same-sex marriage. He has routinely voiced concerns in the courtroom that the dissolution of marriage process in Kentucky did not allow couples the opportunity to identify what was “irretrievably broken” in their relationships.
When challenged on his beliefs and process, the judge has claimed that his more conservative views about family have not historically gotten in the way of him carrying out the rule of law. Opponents believe otherwise. The judge was recently disciplined by the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission, citing undue measures couples were subjected to in seeking a divorce.
If nothing else, the situation described above is representative of the fact that you never knows how a judge’s own leanings may affect your divorce case and quickly turn it into an uphill battle. If you or someone you know is contemplating a divorce, the advice and counsel of an experienced Kentucky divorce attorney may help ensure that your divorce goes as smoothly as possible.
Source: Chuchmilitant.com, “Pro-Family judge sanctioned,” Stefan Farrar, Jan. 10, 2017
