A legal dissolution of marriage within the jurisdiction of North Carolina, completely severing the marital bonds and restoring both parties to the status of unmarried individuals, is governed by specific statutes and requirements. For instance, a couple must live separate and apart for one year before either party can file for this specific type of divorce.
This legal process provides finality, allowing individuals to remarry and re-establish their lives independently. Historically, accessing such a resolution offered recourse from untenable or irretrievably broken marital relationships, and provides a framework for equitable distribution of assets acquired during the marriage, as well as determinations regarding spousal support and child custody where applicable.
