Delaware Code
Chapter 15. DIVORCE AND ANNULMENT
§ 1502. Purpose; construction.

This chapter shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying purposes, which are:

(1) To promote the amicable settlement of disputes that have arisen between parties to a marriage;
(2) To mitigate the potential harm to spouses and their children caused by the process of legal dissolution of marriage;
(3) To make the law of divorce more effective for dealing with the realities of matrimonial experience by making irretrievable breakdown of the marriage relationship the sole basis for divorce;
(4) To permit dissolution of a marriage where the marriage is irretrievably broken despite the objections of an unwilling spouse;
(5) To award alimony under this chapter to a dependent party but only during the continuance of such dependency;
(6) To award alimony in appropriate cases so as to encourage parties to become self-supporting;
(7) [Repealed.]

Structure Delaware Code

Delaware Code

Title 13 - Domestic Relations

Chapter 15. DIVORCE AND ANNULMENT

§ 1501. Short title.

§ 1502. Purpose; construction.

§ 1503. Definitions.

§ 1504. Jurisdiction; residence; procedure.

§ 1505. Divorce; marriage irretrievably broken and reconciliation improbable; defenses; efforts at reconciliation.

§ 1506. Annulment.

§ 1507. Petition for divorce or annulment.

§ 1508. Obtaining jurisdiction over respondent.

§ 1509. Preliminary injunction; interim orders pending final hearing.

§ 1510. Enforcement of interim orders.

§ 1511. Response; counterclaim; prayers; reply to counterclaim.

§ 1512. Alimony in divorce and annulment actions; award; limitations.

§ 1513. Disposition of marital property; imposition of lien; insurance policies.

§ 1514. Resumption of maiden or former name.

§ 1515. Attorneys' fees.

§ 1516. Hearings; use of masters; impoundment; assignment of counsel.

§ 1517. Contested and noncontested petitions; opportunity for counseling; review of record; disposition of prayers for relief.

§ 1518. Decree in divorce or annulment proceedings; costs; notice of entry; effect on mentally incompetent spouse; effect on subsequent petitions; temporary alimony.

§ 1519. Modification or termination of decree or order; termination of alimony; enforcement of alimony order.

§ 1520. Independence of provisions of decree or temporary order.

§ 1521. Decrees of courts of other states and countries.

§ 1522. Procedural rights.

§ 1523. Time for appeal.