Mississippi's Residency Requirements

Either spouse must have been a Mississippi resident for 6 months or longer before filing the divorce papers.

Mississippi's Grounds for Divorce

Mississippi residents may file for divorce under fault or no-fault grounds.

Mississippi's no-fault grounds is:

• irreconcilable differences

Mississippi's fault grounds include:

• adultery
• cruel and inhuman treatment
• impotence
• willful desertion for 1 year or longer

Mississippi's Child Custody Guidelines

Divorcing parents are allowed to collaborate on a child custody arrangement. If the parents cannot reach a decision, a Mississippi court will make a ruling

Mississippi courts consider factors such as:

• the age of the child
• the child's wishes, if 12 years of age or older
• any evidence or history of abuse or neglect

Mississippi's Child Support Guidelines

If the parents cannot agree on the amount of child support and the paying parent, child support will be decided by state-specific calculations and guidelines.

Mississippi's Spousal Support Guidelines

Spousal support can be paid in one lump sum, in installments, or periodically. The spouses may determine the spousal support amount and payment schedule, or the courts may award spousal support.

Mississippi courts consider factors such as:

• duration of the marriage
• any custodial arrangement
• each spouse's earning capacity, financial resources, income, and expenses
• any marital fault

Mississippi's Property Division Guidelines

Mississippi has adopted equitable distribution guidelines, which means all property (including gifts and inheritances) will be divided as fairly and equally as possible. Spouses may collaborate on the property distribution, but if they are unable to agree the courts will make a ruling.

Mississippi courts will consider factors such as:

• each spouse's contribution to the acquisition of property
• any alimony arrangements
• the value of each spouse's separate property

Mississippi's Venue Guidelines

If the grounds for divorce is no-fault, the divorce forms in the petitioner's or the respondent's Mississippi county of residence.

If the grounds for divorce is fault, the divorce forms may also be filed in the last Mississippi county the spouses lived together.