Are divorce filings in the Imperial Valley remaining steady out of love or the need to stay together during tough economic times?
It’s hard to say, but statistics provided by the Imperial County Superior Court show that divorce filings haven’t really gone up since last year.
In a 12-month period that ended in January there were 2,003 family law filings and dispositions. February 2010 saw 151 such filings but the number was slightly higher with 155 divorce filings in January of this year. The highest number was 206 in June 2010.
The reasons vary given the complex nature of marital discord between couples but Kristine Kussman, court administrator, said one reason that couples are rethinking divorce could be because it’s harder to cope at a time when there is substantial job loss and home foreclosures.
Things can get particularly hairy for some single moms or dads without that second income to pay off creditors, Kussman explained.
“When the economy is down all those businesses are trying to recoup their losses,” Kussman said.
Recent government data show a sharp decline in divorce rates between 2007 and 2009, roughly about the time the nation’s economy turned sour, according to an article in the Atlanta Family Law News Blog’s Web site.
The National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia found that nearly 4 in 10 married Americans ages 18 and 45, who had been considering separation or divorce prior to the recession, put off those plans mainly because of the sluggish economy, the Web site reported.
Splitting up can be costly as the necessity in covering rent for separate homes (when marriages fall apart) and other expenses tied to divorce become difficult, Kussman said.
“The world is a lot more complex than it was 20 years ago,” she said.
Interim managing attorney John Gunther, who works at the court’s Family Law Center, agrees, adding that the recessionary tough times could be the primary reason why more and more couples are opting to stay together.
“I would think that (flat divorce rates) are related to the economy,” Gunther said. “It’s been terrible for the past two years.”
Staff Writer Silvio J. Panta can be reached at 760-337-3442 or at spanta@ivpressonline.com
It’s hard to say, but statistics provided by the Imperial County Superior Court show that divorce filings haven’t really gone up since last year.
In a 12-month period that ended in January there were 2,003 family law filings and dispositions. February 2010 saw 151 such filings but the number was slightly higher with 155 divorce filings in January of this year. The highest number was 206 in June 2010.
The reasons vary given the complex nature of marital discord between couples but Kristine Kussman, court administrator, said one reason that couples are rethinking divorce could be because it’s harder to cope at a time when there is substantial job loss and home foreclosures.
Things can get particularly hairy for some single moms or dads without that second income to pay off creditors, Kussman explained.
“When the economy is down all those businesses are trying to recoup their losses,” Kussman said.
Recent government data show a sharp decline in divorce rates between 2007 and 2009, roughly about the time the nation’s economy turned sour, according to an article in the Atlanta Family Law News Blog’s Web site.
The National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia found that nearly 4 in 10 married Americans ages 18 and 45, who had been considering separation or divorce prior to the recession, put off those plans mainly because of the sluggish economy, the Web site reported.
Splitting up can be costly as the necessity in covering rent for separate homes (when marriages fall apart) and other expenses tied to divorce become difficult, Kussman said.
“The world is a lot more complex than it was 20 years ago,” she said.
Interim managing attorney John Gunther, who works at the court’s Family Law Center, agrees, adding that the recessionary tough times could be the primary reason why more and more couples are opting to stay together.
“I would think that (flat divorce rates) are related to the economy,” Gunther said. “It’s been terrible for the past two years.”
Staff Writer Silvio J. Panta can be reached at 760-337-3442 or at spanta@ivpressonline.com
