Divorce Grounds

What Is Habitual Cruel and Inhuman Treatment in a Mississippi Divorce?

August 23, 2017 | by M. Devin Whitt

In a recent Mississippi appellate case, a wife filed for divorce on the fault-based grounds of adultery and habitual inhuman treatment. The couple married in 2004 and then separated in 2011. They had no children.

The husband owned a bail bonding business, and the wife worked as an admissions registrar. She also worked as an office manager at her husband’s bail bonding business. She owned a home in Vicksburg when the couple married. It had two mortgages and was worth $100,000. The husband also owned a home before and during the marriage, which was located in Vicksburg, owned without a mortgage, and worth $46,120. The couple lived at the wife’s property, and she quitclaimed her interest in that property to her husband.

The couple wanted to get money to build their marital home, so they refinanced what had been the wife’s property, and the husband paid off the second mortgage. They sold it for $100,000 and got a $50,000 loan on the other property, and with those proceeds they built their marital home. That home was valued at $380,000 and had a mortgage balance of $180,000. The husband held title to the property, but it was the marital residence until the couple decided to divorce. The couple also built a house nearby that was valued at $226,300. They paid in full for the home, and the husband took title. They also bought different cars and had marital debt of $279,749.61 when they decided to divorce.

New Fault Grounds Bill Passes in the Mississippi Senate

February 15, 2017 | by M. Devin Whitt

When filing for divorce in Mississippi, you can file based on fault or no-fault grounds. Existing fault grounds in Mississippi include adultery, criminal conviction with a sentence to jail time, bigamy, impotence, willful continuous desertion for a minimum of a year, habitual substance abuse, habitual cruel and inhuman treatment, the spouses being related to each other by a certain degree of kinship, hospitalization for three years due to insanity, or a wife’s pregnancy by another man. Whoever alleges fault must prove it at court in trial, and a finding of fault can affect an alimony award.

There is one no-fault ground for divorce, which is irreconcilable differences. This just means that a couple isn’t able to get along, and there’s no chance they’ll get back together. Spouses trying to get a divorce on no-fault grounds need to agree to divorce on the basis of irreconcilable differences. In Mississippi, if one of the spouses refuses to divorce on that basis, the spouse seeking a divorce must prove one of the fault grounds.

Recently, the Mississippi Senate passed a bill including a few new fault grounds for divorce. If the Mississippi House agrees, domestic violence and separation will be added to the list of fault grounds.

Easier Said than Done: Proving Adultery in Mississippi Divorces

November 10, 2014 | by M. Devin Whitt

Adultery is one of the most utilized grounds for divorce. As unfortunate as it may sound, many spouses commit adultery. There are countless psycho-social studies and surveys aimed at figuring out “why” spouses engage in adulterous activity. But, in the divorce context in Mississippi, why a spouse commits adultery is not really all that important. When considering divorce on grounds of adultery in Mississippi, a person should know (1) the definition of “adultery” and (2) how to prove it.

Defining Adultery

Most people associate “cheating” with adultery. But, “cheating” is not necessarily always “adultery,” because “cheating” is subject to varying interpretations. To some, “cheating” may merely involve intimate conversation with, or thoughts about, another person, without any physical contact; while others think only physical, sexual contact with another person qualifies as “cheating.” Mississippi law adopts the latter in its definition of “adultery.” Mississippi law defines adultery as the “voluntary sexual intercourse on the part of either spouse with a person other than his or her own spouse.” Owen v. Gerity, 422 So. 2d 284, 287 (Miss. 1982) (emphasis added). Also, it does not matter how frequent, or infrequent, a spouse commits adultery. As the Mississippi Supreme Court has explained, “a one night stand does not make [] sexual misconduct any less adulterous.” Davis v. Davis, 832 So. 2d 492, 496 (Miss. 2002). So, adultery involves sexual intercourse with a third-person, and one instance of such conduct is enough to be characterized as adultery in Mississippi.
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Antenuptial Knowledge of a Condition Existing Prior to Marriage May Bar Divorce in Mississippi

September 4, 2014 | by M. Devin Whitt

In terms of divorce defenses under Mississippi law, “antenuptial knowledge” may simply be defined as a complaining-spouse’s (the spouse filing for divorce) pre-marital knowledge of the defendant-spouse’s pre-existing bad habits, condition, or other marital impediment that now is alleged to present a cause for divorce. For a defendant-spouse to rely on the defense of antenuptial knowledge, there must be evidence that the complaining-spouse was fully aware of the defendant’s alleged pre-marital conduct before entering into the marriage, or evidence showing that the complaining-spouse had such reliable information that a reasonable person would have known about the defendant’s particular pre-marital conduct, which is the alleged ground for divorce. See N. SHELTON HAND, MISSISSIPPI DIVORCE, ALIMONY, AND CHILD CUSTODY § 5:13 (2014). Thus, actual or constructive antenuptial knowledge of a defendant-spouse’s impediment giving rise to the divorce is sufficient to establish a valid defense against the divorce in Mississippi.

Since 1959, there seems to be no significant case addressing the antenuptial knowledge defense by the Mississippi Supreme Court or Court of Appeals. The most notable case where the Mississippi Supreme Court directly and substantively addressed the antenuptial knowledge defense to divorce was in Kincaid v. Kincaid. In that case, the wife filed for divorce asserting that her husband was a habitual drunkard. Kincaid v. Kincaid, 42 So. 2d 108, 109 (Miss. 1949); see MS § 93-5-1 (5) (2014). Seeking to prevent the divorce, the husband in the case claimed that the wife knew or should have known of his habitual drunkenness before the marriage and therefore should not be able to complain about it now. Accordingly, the Mississippi Supreme Court explained that the crucial issue in the case was whether the husband sufficiently established that the wife knew or had good reason to know of the husband’s habitual drunkenness at the time of, or before, the marriage. Id. In assessing Mississippi law, as one commentator has stated, the Kincaid court “suggested that premarital knowledge of [] conditions such as habitual drunkenness, drug use, imprisonment or impotency may bar divorce.” DEBORAH BELL, BELL ON MISSISSIPPI FAMILY LAW § 4.03[1] (2d. ed. 2011). Ultimately, the Kincaid court held that there was not sufficient evidence to establish the wife’s antenuptial knowledge of the husband’s habitual drunkenness in order to bar a divorce because “[a]t the most, she knew only that he was an occasional and moderate social drinker [, not] an habitual drunkard before marriage . . . .” Id. at 109-110.
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A Way Out: Habitual Cruel and Inhuman Treatment as Grounds for Divorce in Mississippi

August 28, 2014 | by M. Devin Whitt

When a client seeks my counsel about divorce in Mississippi and I ask them why he or she wants a divorce, in several cases, the response is surprisingly consistent: “We argue all the time” or “He or she is mean and rude to me.” During the first conversation I have with these clients I typically explain that habitual cruel and inhuman treatment is a ground for a divorce in Mississippi. Undoubtedly, a spouse’s cruel, demeaning conduct can place a significant strain on a marriage. Marriage does not require a spouse to endure the physical or emotional torture resulting from a spouse’s habitual cruel and inhuman conduct. Like I tell many of my clients, Mississippi law may provide an innocent spouse a way out.

As mentioned in an earlier post, habitual cruel and inhuman treatment is a ground for contested, fault-based divorce in Mississippi. Like all other fault-based divorce grounds, habitual cruel and inhuman treatment must be alleged with specificity, corroborated by sufficient evidence, and proven by a preponderance of the evidence. Shavers v. Shavers, 982 So. 2d 397, 403 (Miss. 2008); Daigle v. Daigle, 626 So. 2d 140, 144 (Miss. 1993). The Mississippi Supreme Court has explained that habitual cruel and inhuman treatment exists only where there is a

continuous course of conduct on the part of the offending spouse which was so unkind, unfeeling or brutal as to endanger, or put one in reasonable apprehension of danger to life, limb or health, and further, such conduct must be habitual, that is, done often enough or so continuously that it may reasonably be said to be a permanent condition.

Holladay v. Holladay, 776 So. 2d 662, 676 (Miss. 2000) (citing Robison v. Robison, 722 So. 2d 601, 603 (Miss. 1998)). And to be clear, evidence of physical violence or threat of physical violence is not necessary, but is sufficient, to prove habitual cruel and inhuman treatment. Bodne v. King, 835 So. 2d 52, 58 (Miss. 2003).
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The Two Paths of Divorce in Mississippi

August 5, 2014 | by M. Devin Whitt

Over the past decade, I have assisted hundreds of people with divorce and divorce-related issues in Mississippi. As we have briefly discussed in previous posts, there are two ways to obtain a divorce in the State of Mississippi: (1) an Irreconcilable Differences Divorce (“ID Divorce”) and (2) a contested or “Fault Based” divorce. While divorce is never without stress and, honestly, there really is no “easy” way to obtain a divorce in Mississippi, an ID Divorce, also known as “agreed” or no-fault divorce, may be considered the “easier” way to obtain a divorce here in this State.Contested Divorce in Mississippi

A contested divorce is what most people think of when they hear the term “divorce.” In this type of divorce, one or both of the parties allege that the other spouse committed some type of marital “misconduct” during the marriage that rises to the level of a “fault” ground for divorce. Since 1932, there have been twelve (12) grounds for divorce in Mississippi, with the most commonly used ones including Adultery, Habitual Cruel and Inhuman Treatment, Habitual Drunkenness, Habitual Drug Use, and Desertion. When a party proves his or her ground for divorce, the party may be granted a divorce by the court even if there is no agreement between spouses to be divorced. However, a contested divorce in Mississippi still maintains strict requirements of proof, corroboration, and defenses.
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Gone with the Wind: Desertion and Divorce in Mississippi

July 24, 2014 | by M. Devin Whitt

Marriage is a beautiful concept that many people are willing to embrace. But, unfortunately, the struggles of marriage become a concept that some people realize that they cannot, or will not, endure. When marriage gets tough, some spouses initiate their “fight” receptors and seek to endure the struggles while others seek “flight” from the marriage. Fleeing marriage and a spouse is not uncommon, and in Mississippi, desertion–or abandonment by one spouse– may be a ground for divorce.

Under Mississippi law, “[w]illful, continued and obstinate desertion for the space of one (1) year” is grounds for divorce. MS § 93-5-1 (2014). In other words, a spouse’s intentional and continued abandonment of the other (innocent) spouse for one year or longer, without interruption by reconciliation, constitutes desertion. But, if the innocent spouse “provok[ed] the defendant [offending spouse] into the acts which constitute the alleged ground[ ] for divorce,” then a divorce will not be granted. Brown v. Brown, 2012-CA-00672-COA (Miss. Ct. App. Dec. 3, 2013), reh’g denied (Apr. 15, 2014) (citing Ammons v. Ammons, 144 Miss. 314, 318, 109 So. 795, 795 (1926)). Thus, the alleged offending spouse “may defend against a claim of desertion by ‘set[ting] up any misconduct of [the] plaintiff which justified the separation[.]'” Id. Further, to be clear, “desertion is an act of the offending spouse in relation to the marital status and not the place where the parties reside or their domicile.” N. SHELTON HAND, MISSISSIPPI DIVORCE, ALIMONY, AND CHILD CUSTODY § 4:9 (2013). Accordingly, desertion can occur even if the offending spouse remains within the marital home but is intentionally detached from the other spouse, including physical and emotional detachment.

Sipping the Syrup Too Much: Habitual Drunkenness and Divorce in Mississippi

July 22, 2014 | by M. Devin Whitt

Here in Mississippi, there is nothing like watching a good football game and drinking a cold beer with friends and family. Recreational drinking–and football of course–is a stapled pastime in our country. But for some, the pastime of alcohol consumption can become a serious problem. Just like a drug addiction, alcohol abuse can have a substantial negative impact on personal relationships, including marriages. In Mississippi, habitual drunkenness is one of twelve fault-based grounds for divorce. MS § 93-5-1 (2014).

Habitual drunkenness is a rarely used ground for divorce, and there is limited case law on what exactly constitutes “habitual drunkenness.” Nevertheless, to succeed on a habitual drunkenness claim, a spouse must “prove that the defendant was habitually, or frequently, drunk, that the drinking adversely affected the marriage, and the habit continued at the divorce trial.” BELL, BELL ON MISSISSIPPI FAMILY LAW § 4.02[6](2010) (analogizing habitual drunkenness grounds to habitual drug use grounds); see Ladner v. Ladner, 436 So. 2d 1366, 1375 (Miss. 1983) (daily use over four years was sufficient frequency to show abuse), and Smithson v. Smithson, 74 So. 149, 151 (Miss. 1917) (use must be ongoing at time of trial)).
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How High: Marijuana Use as Grounds for Divorce in Mississippi

July 17, 2014 | by M. Devin Whitt

Habitual and excessive drug use–including excessive marijuana use–is one of twelve grounds for fault-based divorce in Mississippi. Under Mississippi law, “[d]ivorces from the bonds of matrimony may be decreed to the injured party for . . . [h]abitual and excessive use of opium, morphine or other like drug.” MS § 93-5-1 (2014). A person seeking a divorce based on a spouse’s habitual and excessive drug use must show that their spouse’s use of drugs is (1) habitual and frequent, (2) excessive and uncontrollable, and (3) was of morphine, opium or drugs with the similar effect as morphine or opium. Lawson v. Lawson, 821 So. 2d 142, 145 (Miss. Ct. App. 2002). All three of these elements must be shown for a Chancellor to grant a divorce. In order to show “habitual drug use,” a person must show that their spouse customarily and frequently used drugs; one time, or occasional, drug use is not sufficient. Ladner v. Ladner, 436 So. 2d 1366, 1374 (Miss. 1983). Essentially, the spouse accused of drug use must be characterized as a drug abuser, and “must be so addicted to the use of drugs that he cannot control his appetite for drugs whenever the opportunity to obtain drugs is present.” Id.
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Senate Refuses to Create Additional Ground for Divorce in Mississippi

February 18, 2011 | by M. Devin Whitt

Today the Mississippi Senate has defeated a bill that would have have created a 13th Ground for Divorce in Mississippi (bona fide separation for five years or longer). Senate Bill 2652 would have given a spouse grounds for divorce if he or she had been away from an abusive situation for five (5) years or longer.

The bill was defeated Thursday on a vote of 81-39 although the bill had earlier passed the Senate.

WXVT Channel 15 reports that the bill would have made it easier for spouses, usually wives, to file for divorce when that spouse leaves home to avoid domestic violence and the other spouse will not agree to filing for divorce.

State law already allows a spouse who is abandoned to file for divorce under desertion, but existing law does not address when one innocent party leaves home and the other will not give them a divorce.
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