Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 · Updated to 15 Dec 2018 · Part VI · Divorce
53. Breakdown of marriage to be sole ground for divorce
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Either spouse may petition for divorce on the ground that the marriage has broken down beyond repair. The court must, as far as it reasonably can, look into the facts said to have caused the breakdown. It ends the marriage if satisfied that doing so is just and reasonable.
Summary · Drafted with AI, checked against the official text on 30 Sep 2026.
Either party to a marriage may petition for a divorce on the ground that the marriage has irretrievably broken down.
The court hearing such petition shall, so far as it reasonably can, inquire into the facts alleged as causing or leading to the breakdown of the marriage and, if satisfied that the circumstances make it just and reasonable to do so, make a decree for its dissolution.
court
“court” means the High Court or a Judge thereof or, where a Sessions Court Judge has jurisdiction by virtue of subsection (2), the Sessions Court or a Sessions Court Judge of that Court;