Echtscheiding

Divorce is the formal dissolution of a marriage by order of the court. One of the spouses submits a petition, following which the court determines whether the marriage has irretrievably broken down. The proceedings also address the consequences regarding maintenance, the division of property and the care of any children.

The term is relevant because divorce entails far-reaching legal and financial consequences that extend beyond the termination of the relationship. In the Netherlands, irretrievable breakdown has been the sole statutory ground for divorce since 1971.

In practice, the parties frequently instruct a lawyer to prepare the petition and to negotiate a divorce settlement agreement. Following the judgment, the divorce must be entered in the civil status registers in order to take effect.