What is a constructive abandonment?
Despite overwhelming support to adopt a no-fault or irreconcilable grounds for divorce, New York remains the only state in which a party must allege and prove marital fault in order to obtain a divorce.
By far, the most common fault based ground for divorce in New York is constructive abandonment. In the recent case of Mehl v. Mehl, the Appellate Division defined the elements of this ground for divorce.
It is well settled that to establish a cause of action for a divorce on the ground of constructive abandonment, the spouse who claims to have been constructively abandoned must prove that the abandoning spouse unjustifiably refused to fulfill the basic obligations arising from the marriage contract and that the abandonment continued for at least one year.
“Basic obligations arising from the marriage” is legalese for sexual relations.
In order to rise to the level of constructive abandonment, the refusal to engage in intercourse must be "unjustified, willful, and continued, despite repeated requests from the other spouse for resumption of cohabitation'"
Further, as the Mehl case illustrates, the person seeking the divorce cannot be the party who refused to have sex.
I got married last June 6, 2008. My husband was station in a Navy base in Maine a few days later. I had to stay back in NY because of work. The all time he was in Maine I didnt get any visits from him. He was deployed to Kuwait in December. Since we gotten married i have not received any support from him. I havent even gotten a military spouse ID. I havent received any money for bills either. I was taken to ER three times this year alone and he hasnt given me papers need to get Tri Care. He comes back from deployement in April and has no plans to be with me. He has completly abandoned me as if we were never married. I want to annull our marriage but dont know the steps needed to.What steps in the courts should i do.
I WISH TO KNOW THAT IN AN ONGOING DIVORCE CASE IF SOMEONE WANTS TO MEET THE JUDGE, WHO IS HEARING THE CASE, SEPARATELY FOR A CONSULTATION. IS IT POSSIBLE? DOES THE LAW ALLOW THE JUDGE TO ENTERTAIN SUCH REQUESTS.