Refusal to formally agree to a dissolution of marriage does not necessarily prevent the legal process from moving forward. While mutual consent simplifies proceedings, the legal system provides avenues for obtaining a divorce even when one party is unwilling to sign the relevant documentation.
This process acknowledges the fundamental right to seek legal separation and ensures that one individual cannot indefinitely prevent another from ending a marriage. Historically, divorce laws required mutual consent, but evolving societal norms and legal interpretations have shifted towards recognizing individual autonomy in marital decisions.