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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>82064</law_id><section_number>20-91</section_number><catch_line>Grounds for divorce from bond of matrimony; contents of decree</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>17.1-606</reference><reference>20-106</reference><reference>20-107.1</reference><reference>20-107.3</reference><reference>20-121.02</reference><reference>20-99</reference><reference>20-99.1:1</reference><reference>8.01-223.1</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">Divorce, Affirmation and Annulment</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A divorce from the <span class="dictionary">bond</span> of matrimony may be decreed: <a id="paragraph-294090" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-91/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> For adultery; or for sodomy or buggery committed outside the marriage; <a id="paragraph-294091" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-91/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> [Repealed.] <a id="paragraph-294092" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-91/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Where either of the parties subsequent to the marriage has been convicted of a <span class="dictionary">felony</span>, sentenced to confinement for more than one year and confined for such <span class="dictionary">felony</span> subsequent to such <span class="dictionary">conviction</span>, and cohabitation has not been resumed after knowledge of such confinement (in which case no <span class="dictionary">pardon</span> granted to the <span class="dictionary">party</span> so sentenced shall restore such <span class="dictionary">party</span> to his conjugal rights);
				(4),  (5) [Repealed.] <a id="paragraph-294093" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-91/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> Where either <span class="dictionary">party</span> has been guilty of cruelty, caused reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt, or willfully deserted or abandoned the other, such divorce may be decreed to the innocent <span class="dictionary">party</span> after a period of one year from the date of such act; or
				(7),  (8) [Repealed.] <a id="paragraph-294094" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-91/#A6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A9" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">9.</span> (a) On the application of either <span class="dictionary">party</span> if and when they have lived separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for one year. In any case where the parties have entered into a separation agreement and there are no <span class="dictionary">minor</span> children either born of the parties, born of either <span class="dictionary">party</span> and adopted by the other or adopted by both parties, a divorce may be decreed on application if and when they have lived separately and apart without cohabitation and without interruption for six months. A <span class="dictionary">plea</span> of res adjudicata or of recrimination with respect to any other provision of this section shall not be a bar to either <span class="dictionary">party</span> obtaining a divorce on this ground; nor shall it be a bar that either <span class="dictionary">party</span> has been adjudged insane, either before or after such separation has commenced, but at the expiration of one year or six months, whichever is applicable, from the commencement of such separation, the grounds for divorce shall be deemed to be complete, and the committee of the insane <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>, if there be one, shall be made a <span class="dictionary">party</span> to the cause, or if there be no committee, then the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall appoint a <span class="dictionary">guardian ad litem</span> to represent the insane <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>. <a id="paragraph-294095" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-91/#A9"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A9b" class="indent-2"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> This subdivision (9) shall apply whether the separation commenced prior to its enactment or shall commence thereafter. Where otherwise valid, any <span class="dictionary">decree</span> of divorce hereinbefore entered by any <span class="dictionary">court</span> having <span class="dictionary">equity</span> <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> pursuant to this subdivision (9), not appealed to the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span> of Virginia, is hereby declared valid according to the terms of said <span class="dictionary">decree</span> notwithstanding the <span class="dictionary">insanity</span> of a <span class="dictionary">party</span> thereto. <a id="paragraph-294096" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-91/#A9b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A9c" class="indent-2"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> A <span class="dictionary">decree</span> of divorce granted pursuant to this subdivision (9) shall in no way lessen any obligation any <span class="dictionary">party</span> may otherwise have to support the spouse unless such <span class="dictionary">party</span> shall prove that there exists in the favor of such <span class="dictionary">party</span> some other ground of divorce under this section or &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Grounds for divorces from bed and board" href="/20-95/">20-95</a>. <a id="paragraph-294097" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-91/#A9c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A <span class="dictionary">decree</span> of divorce shall include each <span class="dictionary">party</span>&#x2019;s social security number or other control number issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="What license to contain; organ donor information; Uniform Donor Document" href="/46.2-342/">46.2-342</a>. <a id="paragraph-294098" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-91/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1919, &#xA7; 5103; 1926, p. 868; 1934, p. 20; 1952, c. 100; 1960, c. 108; 1962, c. 288; 1964, cc. 363, 648; 1970, c. 311; 1975, c. 644; 1982, c. 308; 1986, c. 397; 1988, c. 404; 1997, cc. 794, 898; 2020, cc. 270, 900.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
