2004 Minnesota Statutes

     518.06 Dissolution of marriage; legal separation; 
  grounds; uncontested legal separation. 

    Subdivision 1.    Meaning and effect; grounds.  A 
 dissolution of marriage is the termination of the marital 
 relationship between a husband and wife.  A decree of 
 dissolution completely terminates the marital status of both 
 parties.  A legal separation is a court determination of the 
 rights and responsibilities of a husband and wife arising out of 
 the marital relationship.  A decree of legal separation does not 
 terminate the marital status of the parties.  A dissolution of a 
 marriage shall be granted by a county or district court when the 
 court finds that there has been an irretrievable breakdown of 
 the marriage relationship. 

    A decree of legal separation shall be granted when the 
 court finds that one or both parties need a legal separation.  

    Defenses to divorce, dissolution and legal separation, 
 including but not limited to condonation, connivance, collusion, 
 recrimination, insanity, and lapse of time, are abolished. 

    Subd. 2.  Repealed, 1978 c 772 s 63 

    Subd. 3.    Uncontested legal separation.  If one or 
 both parties petition for a decree of legal separation and 
 neither party contests the granting of the decree nor petitions 
 for a decree of dissolution, the court shall grant a decree of 
 legal separation.  

    HIST: (8585) RL s 3574; 1909 c 443 s 1; 1927 c 304 s 1; 1933 c 
 262 s 1; 1933 c 324; Ex1934 c 78 s 1; 1935 c 295 s 1; 1941 c 406 
 s 1; 1951 c 637 s 1; 1969 c 764 s 1; 1971 c 177 s 1; 1974 c 107 
 s 4; 1978 c 772 s 22,23; 1979 c 259 s 4,5