Does divorce have a season?

As many California couples know, marital strife knows no season. In many cases, discord builds up over time, and spouses eventually decide that enough is enough and begin to look into ending their marriage. However, sociologists are beginning to notice a pattern in that suggest that divorce filings are more common in some seasons than others.

Specifically, academics at the University of Washington reviewed court records in Washington state ranging from 2001 to 2015. They found that there is a general tendency toward a spike in divorce filings in March and August.

The researchers are still speculating on the reasons for the sharp increase in these two specific months. They noted that each marks the end of the winter and summer seasons. Winter is significant because it is a time of holidays that often bring families together. Couples may feel that their kids deserve at least one last Christmas as a family. In addition, they may also feel that the togetherness of the holiday season might give their marriage a boost.

Similarly, couples may decide to end a marriage in August because they spent the summer focused on their kids or perhaps vacationing in hopes of repairing damaged relationships. Once the promise of the season is over, the couple may decide that their marriage will have the same fate.

While seasonal events are not the only possible cause for the rise in divorce filings, it is important for married couples who are facing the end of a marriage to be cognizant of their options. They may want to meet with their respective family law attorneys to learn about the various ways that the applicable divorce legal issues can be resolved.