2006 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    Subd. 2.[Repealed, 1978 c 772 s 63]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.
History: (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