Enforcing a Divorce From Another State

Mississippi requires both parties to consent to a divorce in order to obtain one or otherwise prove grounds for divorce.  In many states it is easier to get a divorce.  On February 20, 2014, the Mississippi Supreme Court decided Pierce v. Pierce located here.  The issue in this case was that the parities were divorced in Washington state and then came back to Mississippi for property division.  The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled that this was proper and not barred by the prior action.  There are some deep legal issues in this opinion which require a close read.  However, this case can be important as the standard for inappropriate marital conduct in Tennessee is pretty low so that if a party is close to Tennessee and willing to meet the residency requirements, this may be an option.