# What Does No-Fault Divorce Mean? | Brown Family Law

People often ask if they have to prove fault to get a divorce in Utah. The answer is “no,” you don’t.

Instead, you can simply say the marriage relationship is “irretrievably broken,” or there are “irreconcilable differences” (lawyer speak for “our marriage is really bad”), and that is good enough grounds for a divorce. This type of system in which you don’t have prove any fault at all in divorce is called a “no-fault system.”

No-fault systems haven’t always been a thing. Years ago (or until recently if you lived in New York State), you had to prove fault to [obtain a divorce](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/faqs/uncontested-vs-contested-divorce-whats-the-difference/). This means you would have to prove abandonment or adultery or something else so you could divorce.

Utah did away with the fault system some time ago.

Get Clear Guidance for Your Divorce

[Schedule a Consultation](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/contact-us/)

One effect of the no-fault system is that if a spouse doesn’t want to divorce, he or she cannot stop the divorce. That’s right, one spouse can force through a divorce. There is no veto in [Utah divorce](/) law.

A Calmer, Clearer Way Through Divorce

[Talk to Our Team](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/contact-us/)

(A piece of quick advice: when you file for divorce, don’t actually write why you want to divorce. It does no good to write in the court documents that your spouse cheated on you and is horrid human being. This sort of thing doesn’t do you any good, and it will just embarrass your spouse and make it much harder to negotiate and settle your case later on. Let sleeping dogs lie and write “irreconcilable differences.”)

Divorce Blog Posts:    [![About Getting a Divorce In Utah](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/wp-content/uploads/about-getting-a-divorce-in-utah-300x200.jpg)](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/about-getting-a-divorce-in-utah/)

### [About Getting a Divorce In Utah](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/about-getting-a-divorce-in-utah/)

Arizona Child Custody: What if We Can’t Agree on a Parenting Plan? When parents separate or divorce in Arizona, one

[![5 Tips to Plan for Summer Vacation After Divorce](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/wp-content/uploads/5-tips-to-plan-for-summer-vacation-after-divorce-300x200.jpg)](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/5-tips-to-plan-for-summer-vacation-after-divorce/)

### [5 Tips to Plan for Summer Vacation After Divorce](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/5-tips-to-plan-for-summer-vacation-after-divorce/)

Perhaps, last summer, you and your spouse were still together. You may not have been happy, but you were living

[![Divorce Should Not Overshadow Kids’ Summer Break](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/wp-content/uploads/divorce-should-not-overshadow-kids-summer-break-300x200.jpg)](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/divorce-should-not-overshadow-kids-summer-break/)

### [Divorce Should Not Overshadow Kids’ Summer Break](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/divorce-should-not-overshadow-kids-summer-break/)

Virtually every adult can remember the excitement they felt as children as summer break approached. Breaking free of

[![4 Things You Must Do to Help Kids Get Through Divorce](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/wp-content/uploads/4-things-you-must-do-to-help-kids-get-through-divorce-300x200.jpg)](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/4-things-you-must-do-to-help-kids-get-through-divorce/)

### [4 Things You Must Do to Help Kids Get Through Divorce](https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/blog/4-things-you-must-do-to-help-kids-get-through-divorce/)

For children, watching their parents split up can be emotionally trying and confusing. You and your spouse may know

---

Source: https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/faqs/what-does-no-fault-divorce-mean/