308. How does a divorce affect your marital status?

A divorce decree has one of three possible effects:

1. In some States, divorce immediately returns your status to that of a single person, without restriction as to remarriage;

2. In other States, while you are no longer a husband or wife after the judgment of divorce, State law or the divorce decree prohibits you from remarrying for a certain period; e.g., during a stated waiting period; or

3. In still other States, the dissolution of your marriage is postponed for a stated period following the judgment of divorce. Sometimes, the parties to the divorce or the court must take additional action to make a divorce final and thereby dissolve the marriage.

Last Revised: March, 2001