Mississippi Divorce Laws

Mississippi Divorce Guidelines to File for a Divorce

Divorce Requirements for Mississippi Residents

To satisfy the residency requirement in filing for divorce in Mississippi, either the petitioner or respondent must be a resident of the Magnolia State for 180 days.

Mississippi Grounds For Divorce

When it comes to divorce, Mississippi has both a no-fault and fault-based grounds.

The single no-fault ground is irreconcilable differences.

The fault grounds for divorce in Mississippi include, but are not limited to:

1. Adultery
2. Bigamy
3. Impotence
4. Alcohol and/or substance abuse
5. Cruel and inhuman treatment
6. Willful, continuous desertion for a period of one year or more
7. Criminal conviction

Child Custody Law in Mississippi

As with most divorce proceedings, the court recognizes joint custody in the child’s best interest. The following factors are considered, among others:

1. Wishes of the child;
2. Wishes of the child’s parents;
3. Child’s interaction and interrelationship with parents, siblings, and others;
4. Needs of the child for frequent, continuing, and meaningful relationship with parents;
5. Child’s adjustment to home, school, and community; and
6. Intention of either parent to relocate the residence of the child.

Guidelines for Mississippi Child Support

Mississippi child support guidelines have its own sharing model for calculating child support. In an adjusted gross income, the paying parent shall give approximately 14% to support the child. With more children, the amount increases to 24% to support four and 26% to five or more children. Child support continues until the child is emancipated at the age of 21.

Where to file for a divorce?

For a no-fault divorce based on irreconcilable differences, Mississippi divorce forms can be filed in the county where either of the couples resides. But for a fault-based divorce, Mississippi divorce forms may be filed in the county where the spouses last resided together, in the non-Mississippi county where the petitioner resides, or in the Mississippi county where the respondent resides.

For a fast and inexpensive divorce process, you can file Mississippi online divorce forms.

Refer to the “Divorce Requirements for Mississippi Residents” above and also review the best online divorce sites.

Mediation

A form of alternative dispute resolution, mediation in Mississippi is recommended especially when issues need to be agreed upon and resolved amicably thru this process, instead of forcing the couples and the children to undergo the rigors of litigation. Mediation may be requested by either or both parties before or after filing the Mississippi Divorce Forms.

Need information for a different state?

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You may also visit the Mississippi Courts for more information