Many couples who get divorced have been living together for years or even decades. They likely will not spend much time thinking about the residency requirements because they already satisfy them and can simply move forward with filing for divorce.
However, it is still important for couples to understand how these residency requirements apply, especially if they have recently moved. For instance, a couple may have just moved from another state because one person got a job, only to decide that the relationship isn’t going to work and they want to divorce. Or perhaps a couple met at college out of state and recently moved back after graduation. There are many potential scenarios, but these couples must meet two specific requirements.
Six months in Louisiana
To begin with, a couple has to live in Louisiana for six months before they can file for divorce. People who have just moved to the state cannot immediately end their marriage. States often have very different divorce laws, so this rule prevents people from moving just to seek more favorable laws depending on their situation.
90 days in the parish
Furthermore, when you file for divorce, you must do so in the parish where you live. There are residency requirements at this level as well, and you must have lived in that parish for the past 90 days. So even someone who has lived in Louisiana their entire life may not automatically meet the residency requirements if they recently moved within the state.
These are just a few of the regulations surrounding divorce in Louisiana. Be sure you know what legal steps to take.