Boston Divorce Lawyer – Boston Divorce & Family Law Attorney Blog

Guest Blogger Tim Evans

I live and work in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, deep in the heart of the “Bible Belt.” Many studies have shown that the states that comprise the Bible Belt have higher-than average rates of divorce.

According to one study, there were about 4.8 divorced persons for every thousand in 1998. In the Bible Belt states, the rate was approximately 6 divorced persons per thousand. Is this a case of hypocrisy? I don’t think so. I think one could expect the divorce rate to be higher for the three reasons I state below.

First, I would note that the Bible Belt is primarily rural states, many of them in the American South. Typically, the average age of the first marriage in these states are younger than the average age in the rest of the country. Entering into a marriage without obtaining much life experience and without learning many coping skills is going to hurt a marriage, no matter where it takes place.

Second, these states are generally thought of as some of the poorer states. My state, Mississippi, has the lowest per capita income in the United States.  Studies tell us that the most common cause for arguments in a marriage is money and sex.  It would therefore seem logical that a married couple with less income would be more likely to get into more arguments. If the arguments become a chronic “symptom” of the marriage, then a divorce is even more likely.

Finally, these states are also “red states,” the ones that tend to be more conservative. I think there is something about the conservative mindset that makes it harder to accept the fact that you may need counseling. (As a conservative, this is at least true for me). I also believe that the religious views in these states make it more difficult to accept the advice of “secular” marriage counselors. I believe this is backed by a study that shows a higher percentage of Baptists have been divorced than any other Christian denomination. While the married couples may be more likely to seek counselors whose advice is more grounded in biblical teachings, such counselors, at least good counselors, are hard to find and are mainly centered in the major population areas.

So, you combine the lower age of marriage with the lower income and the reluctance to get counseling, and it is a wonder that the divorce rate isn’t higher in the Bible Belt. What are your theories for this phenomenon?

Tim Evans is the founder of The Law Office of Timothy J. Evans, PLLC. He practices law in Hattiesburg, Mississippi with focuses on divorce and family law, probate matters, and consumer law. Please visit his website, or visit his blog, www.hattiesburgdivorcelawyer.com.

Keith A. Pabian, Esq. is an immigration attorney with Pabian & Russell, LLC, a law firm in Boston with practice areas including corporate law and estate planning.

GUEST BLOGGER – Keith A. Pabian

If you are a person that immigrated to the United States through a marriage that was less than 2 years old when you received your green card, then you received your green card on a conditional basis.  In other words, you are known as a conditional permanent resident.  This conditional status lasts for 2 years after your green card was granted.  But what happens if you and your spouse get divorced before the end of those 2 years while you are still in the United States as a conditional permanent resident? Do you lose your green card?

Usually, the United States Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) requires that a spouse granted conditional permanent residence file to remove the conditional residence jointly with his or her spouse.  However, there is an exception for a person that has been divorced before filing to remove his or her conditional residence.

If you are a conditional permanent resident and you are divorced, then you may file an I-751 petition without the help of your ex-spouse to remove your conditional residence if you can show that you entered into your marriage in good faith and that the marriage has legally been terminated.  Therefore, if you can show that you and your former spouse had a real marriage and that you have obtained a legal divorce, then you can file an I-751 petition by yourself.  Similarly, children of divorced parents can also file an I-751 petition by themselves if they can show that their parents entered into a good faith marriage and that they were legally divorced.

To show that you entered into a good faith marriage, you should submit as many documents as possible with the I-751 petition to show that you had a real marriage.  Documents such as joint bank account statements, a lease or mortgage with both your name and your ex-spouse’s name on it, and birth certificates of any children than you had together are helpful in showing a valid marriage.

Keith A. Pabian, Esq. is an Immigration Attorney at Pabian & Russell, LLC. Mr. Pabian can be reached at (617) 951-3100 or by email at kpabian@pabianrussell.com if you would like to schedule a consultation or are in need of immigration assistance or advice.