Evening star., 1928-02-19
NEVADA'S DIVORCE BUSINESS
BY FREDERIC J. HfSkiV.

What legislation can and may do
for business Is shown by the unofficial
report that the number of divorces in
Nevada in 1927 was approximately
three times the number for the pre-
ceding year. The increase is attributed
largely ii not wholly to the law passed
by the Nevada Legislature In March
OF last year, which makes 1t possible
TO ge. divorce in that State after
three months residence instead OF six
and establishes insanity as an addi-
tIonal ground for divorce.
The actual number of divorces
granted in Nevada IN 1925 was 1921.
while the estimate for 1927 places the
figure at more than 5000, In all the
State barely c25 divorce suits had been
filed last year up 10 the time OF the
enactment Of the new law SO II is ap-
parent that there is sound basis for
crediting legislation with the sudden
boom in the business.
And divorce Is one Of the major in
dustr!eS In Nevada. More than 95 per
cent OF the suits filed and determined
there are what are known as imported
cases, the parties being persons who
come into the State and establish a
residence for the sole or primary pur-
pose OF securing divorce This means
that great amount of outside money
Is Brought into the State and expended
for rents. living. luXuries, attorney fees.
court costs. and the like. No records
can be complied OF the money so ex-
pended, bat 1t has been estimated that
Nevada divorce costs from $500 10
$1,000, the average probably being
nearer the latter figure than the prst
In the aggregate 1t runs into an I'M
pCrtant sum Obviously IL is a buS:-
ness to b2 conserved. 10 be bull; UP.
and apparently the Legislature SO con-
ciuded, At any rate. the new Law was
passed and the business Immediately
tlourished.
Prior TO last year the business had
been on an even keel for a considerable
period The number Of divorces grant
ed annually ran from 900 to ll00.
the highest number recently being 032
in 1925
The Banner Divorce State.
The number Of divorces granted each
year is not SO large. save when II is
considered on the basis of population.
when 1t sufficeS 10 make Nevada far and
away the banner divorce State of the
Union. Nevada s divorce rate per 900
of population ranged from 1926 In 1929
to 1898 In 1925, falling Ia 1925 again
in 1925.
Las, year, on the estimated 5000 di-
vorces, 1t scared 10 almost 80 per 1000.
record never remotely approached by
any other State In the United States
and probably never equaled In any other
country In the world unless ii be Rus
Sia. EeVada's 1927 record Is more than
10 times that OF any other State and
more than IS times that uf the United
States as a whole. which was l.52 per
! 900 population III 1926,
III 1925. when NeYadaS divorce grist
was the largest Of recent years prior
10 the 1927 boom. the highest divorce
rate In any other State was that OF 334
per 1000 In Oregon. Oklahoma came
next with rate of $40. and Wyoming
with 800. Texas with 100 Washington
with 2T3. Montana with 27i and Cali
fornia with 254 followed IN the order
named. The District OF Columbia had
the lowest divorce raie~~0 3l-and New
York came next with IA rate of 0.4i. In
1926 New York's rate remained pracu-
caiIy stationary, while that OF the Dis
trict Of Columbia dropped 10 Ola.
The DiL-,.t with more than seven
times the population Of Nevada. had
only 0G divorces In 1925, az compared
with Nevada's 1921 II Is true how
ever, that the District grants divorces
only cn the ground Of infideiity and 1t
Is probable that both the District and
New YORK, where infldelity or dlhanlu"
lion on the ground Of ahsence with sup
)s!tion of death are the grounds, sup
piled many members 0f the Nevada di-
vorce colony, IT Is stated that last year
New York sent more divorce seekers TO
Nevada than did any Other state Cali
fornia, which has fairly high divorce
rate Itself, ranking second III building
up Nevada'6 divorce business,
In the total number Of divorces grant,
ed In 1925. Texas led The Nation by IA
substantial margin with l3.adh. Iili-
tiDis was second with l4.i25. and the
other ranking States were Ohio. i3,970.
California. i2Oda: Missouri. p.83d. Mich"
lgan. 964a. Pennsylvania, 7.706, tndi-
ana, 1870, and Oklahoma. 1.a9a. The
total for The Nation WAS 1870 .h6b. No
divorces Tor any ca,lae ate granted III
South Carolina,
II divorces mad been granted through
out the United States Inst year At the
rate they are reported To have heen
granted III Nevada the total number oI
divorces for the country would have
been IN excess Of 4a0D.O 900 Just what
that would mean ia perhaps baht IN
dicaled by citing The fact that the total
number af marriages IN the country III
1925 @ah only l."02 O7D ana last yeat
was probably not grfai!y III escraa of
ttial.
Why Nevada Divorces Are Easy.
Nevada divorces ere easy Of procure
ment primarily becalise of the short
period of rchdeure required before a
atll may be flird and secondly because
~ The numerous grounds upon which
divorces are granted These are eight
in number adultery impotenep, ahan-
donment ioi Two years. failure 10 pto~