North Carolina has a one year waiting period in order to obtain a divorce. That means that a victim of domestic violence must remain married to their abuser for a full year prior to being able to obtain a divorce. If a court finds that you are a victim of domestic violence you should be able to get divorced immediately.
Why is this important?
Like everyone else a victim of domestic violence must live separate and apart from their spouse for a full year before he/she can file for divorce. I'm an attorney in North Carolina and help victims of domestic violence obtain Domestic Violence Protective Orders (no contact orders). There is no good reason to make someone remain married to their abuser for a full year (or longer in many cases) before they can petition the courts for a divorce.
