Divorce Definitions

Alimony A payment made by one spouse to another pending divorce or separation. Buccal Swab A recognized form of genetic testing used to determine paternity, which involves a q-tip type instrument for collecting saliva from individuals submitting to testing. Custodial parent The parent who has physical custody of the children. Temporary alimony A type of alimony payment that is made to one spouse pending separation or divorce proceedings. No-Fault Divorce Many states now permit "no-fault" divorces. No fault" divorce describes any divorce where the spouse suing for divorce does not have to prove that the other spouse did something wrong. All states allow divorces regardless of who is at "fault." Annulment The legal dissolution of a marriage. In an annulment, the marriage is treated as though it never existed. Supervised visitation A form of visitation in which an adult supervisor must be present when the child is visiting with the non-custodial parent. Rehabilitative Alimony Rehabilitative alimony refers to alimony that is given to a spouse so that the spouse may “rehabilitate” herself or himself in the sense of acquiring greater earning power or training in order to become self-supporting. Absolute divorce A divorce in which the marriage is completely dissolved and both parties become single. Mediation A non-adversarial process in which a neutral third party acts to encourage and help disputing parties reach a mutually acceptable agreement. May not be a good option when domestic violence is present.

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	Did You Know?
	Permanent and incurable insanity is a ground for divorce. For insanity to be considered permanently incurable, a person must have been confined in a mental institution, hospital, or other institution for at least three years, and at least two physicians competent in psychiatry must testify that the insanity is permanently incurable.