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Divorce relying on unreasonable behaviour is, as we’ve stated previously, something that many people misunderstand. It leads people to conclude that they need to cite heinous and abhorrent examples of their spouse’s behaviour when they really don’t need to. As we appreciate that thinking of examples can be extremely problematic (and last month’s post was so popular) we thought we’d provide five more common examples of unreasonable behaviour regularly accepted by courts in England and Wales:

Disregarding Opinions

Respect is a bedrock upon which all stable and effective relationships are formed. From workmates to friends to spouses, relationships that lack respect are intolerable.

The difference with the two former examples is that, if you believe either don’t respect you or your opinion, you can put distance between you. When it comes to your spouse, though, this simply isn’t an option.

In spite of this, you’d be surprised how common it is for people to find themselves feeling that their spouse no longer regards their opinions or thoughts to be valid. If you feel that your spouse disregards your thoughts and opinions, you have a solid example of unreasonable behaviour.

Refusing to Compromise

No one likes to compromise. After all, when we do, we’re making a sacrifice of some kind. Compromise, though, like respect, is key to a successful marriage.

If you feel like your spouse continuously wants things their own way and never puts you first, this is also an example of unreasonable behaviour the courts are certain to deem acceptable.

Lack of Intimacy

Intimate acts are, ultimately, the key difference between close friendships and romantic relationships. Yes, it’s reasonable to expect one spouse’s expectations concerning the frequency with which such acts occur to differ from the other but, should these expectations differ dramatically, the relationship is likely to struggle.

So, if one spouse persistently refuses the other’s advances, or failed to respond to requests for increased intimacy, this can be used as an example of unreasonable behaviour.

Starting a Family

Many people consider starting a family to be one of the main reasons for getting married, yet it’s surprising how often a couple agree on whether they do or don’t want children only for one party to then change their minds.

Considering that agreeing to this is certain to have significantly influenced the affected party’s decision to marry their spouse in the first place, it isn’t hard to see why this would be deemed unreasonable.

Excessive use of Gadgets

Over the last decade, gadgets have come to play an even more prominent role in our lives and, as Quickie Divorce have discovered, have also developed into the scourge of many a marriage.

Yes, more and more divorce petitions citing unreasonable behaviour are referring to gadgets such as smartphones and tablets and the fact that spouses seem to prefer to use these to play games or browse the internet than have a conversation with their spouses.

If you feel this is a problem in your marriage and your attempts to communicate this to your spouse have not yielded a change in their behaviour, this is also an acceptable example of unreasonable behaviour when filing for a divorce.