On Oct. 4, 2016, the waiting period for a no-fault divorce was reduced from two years to one year. The new law became effective on Dec. 3, 2016. The law was prospective and applied to separations which begun on or after Dec. 4, 2016. Now a year later the question becomes what if any impact this new legislation has had on obtaining a no-fault divorce in Pennsylvania.

Historically, the no-fault divorce under Irretrievable breakdown grounds was a three-year separation. Most family law practitioners generally believed that if the parties were uncertain they wanted a divorce, waiting three years would be a sufficient time period to determine if a divorce was the right thing to do in their case. Many practitioners also believed when the parties had to wait three years, litigation was lengthy and costly and there seemed no end to a divorce when one party was holding out.