An Examination and Evaluation of Recent Changes in Divorce Laws in Five Western Countries: The Critical Role of Values

Fine, Mark A., Fine, David R., Journal of Marriage and Family

There has been a well-documented increase in the divorce rate in Western countries in the last 30 years, although the rate has been relatively stable in the last decade (Phillips, 1988). Paralleling the increase in the divorce rate have been profound changes in the laws that govern divorce and its aftermath. In this article, in keeping with the spirit of the 1994 International Year of the Family, we examine laws related to divorce in several Western countries, including the United States, France, England and Wales, and Sweden. We also propose that it is difficult to determine the consequences of these legal changes on family life because evaluations of these effects by individuals …

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Publication information: Article title: An Examination and Evaluation of Recent Changes in Divorce Laws in Five Western Countries: The Critical Role of Values. Contributors: Fine, Mark A. - Author, Fine, David R. - Author. Journal title: Journal of Marriage and Family. Volume: 56. Issue: 2 Publication date: May 1994. Page number: 249+. © 2002 Journal of Marriage and Family. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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