ohio abandonment definition
Abandonment is one acceptable reason for divorce in Ohio, but its legal definition is broader than the literal sense of the word and may extend to other areas of domestic law. In Ohio, either spouse can file for divorce based on a no-fault reason for the marriage coming to an end, such as incompatibility or irreconcilable differences. If one spouse protests, however, the party seeking the divorce must prove the other at fault for the breakdown of the marriage. Abandonment is one acceptable reason for divorce in Ohio, but its legal definition is broader than the literal sense of the word and may extend to other areas of domestic law. Marital Abandonment As in most states, the legal definition of abandonment in a marriage in Ohio is perceived as the willful, voluntary physical absence of one spouse from the marital residence for a period of at least one year. The period of separation must be continuous.