KSC, TITLE 6.  THE JUDICIARY
 
Chapter 32.  Annulment and Divorce

Section 6.3201.  Proceedings in annulment and divorce.
Section 6.3202.  Custody; support; alimony.
Section 6.3203.  Effect of decree.
Section 6.3204.  Annulment.
Section 6.3205.  Residency.
Section 6.3206.  Legitimacy of issue of annulled marriage.
Section 6.3207.  Divorce.
Section 6.3208.  Residence.
Section 6.3209.  Forgiveness.
Section 6.3210.  Procurement or connivance as defense.

      Section 6.3201.  Proceedings in annulment and divorce.

     (1)  A proceeding for annulment or divorce, commences by a petition signed and sworn by the petitioner.

     (2)  The petition sets forth sufficient facts to show jurisdiction and, as far as practicable, the date and place of marriage of the parties, the cause for the annulment or divorce, and the approximate date and place of its occurrence, if the cause consists of individual acts, or sufficient details to identify with reasonable certainty the facts relied upon, and a statement as to a prior known application by a party for annulment or divorce of the marriage or for separation from it in any jurisdiction and the result of the application, if known.

Cross reference:
The constitutional provisions on the Judiciary are found in Kosrae Const., Art. VI.

      Section 6.3202.  Custody; support; alimony.
       In granting or denying a decree of an annulment or a divorce, the Court may make an order for custody of a minor child, for its support, for support of a party, and for the disposition of property in which both parties have an interest, as it finds justice and the best interests of all concerned may require.  While an action for annulment or divorce is pending, the Court may make a temporary order regarding the matters stated in this section.  A decree of custody or support of a minor child or of a party is subject to revision by the Court upon motion of a party and following notice, which the Court finds justice requires.

      Section 6.3203.  Effect of decree.
       Upon becoming absolute a decree of annulment or divorce restores the parties to the state of unmarried persons regarding the marriage which the decree affects.

      Section 6.3204.  Annulment.
       The Court may issue a decree annulling a marriage on a ground, existing at the time of the marriage, which renders the marriage illegal and void or voidable.  The Court may refuse to annul a marriage which the parties have ratified and confirmed by voluntary cohabitation after the obstacle to the marriage's validity has ceased to exist, unless the public interest requires annulment of the marriage.

      Section 6.3205.  Residency.
       The Court does not issue a decree of annulment unless one of the parties has resided in the State for the three months immediately preceding the filing of the complaint.

Cross reference:
The constitutional provisions on the Judiciary are found in Kosrae Const., Art. VI.

      Section 6.3206.  Legitimacy of issue of annulled marriage.
       The issue of a marriage annulled pursuant to this chapter are legitimate.

      Section 6.3207.  Divorce.
       The Court may issue a decree of divorce for the following causes:

     (1)  adultery.

     (2)  cruel treatment, neglect or personal indignity by one party toward the other, whether or not amounting to physical cruelty, which renders the life of the other burdensome and intolerable and their further living together unsupportable.

     (3)  wilful desertion for one year.

     (4)  a party's habitual intemperance in the use of intoxicating drink or drugs for one year.

     (5)  a party's being sentenced to imprisonment for three years.

     (6)  a party's insanity for three years or more.

     (7)  a party's contracting leprosy.

     (8)  the separation of the parties for two consecutive years without cohabitation, whether or not by mutual consent.

     (9)  wilful neglect by a husband to provide suitable support for his wife when able to do so or when failure to do so is because of his idleness, profligacy or dissipation.

     (10)  A pardon granted to a sentenced party does not affect a divorce decree pursuant to subsection (5).

      Section 6.3208.  Residence.
       The Court does not issue a decree of divorce unless one of the parties has resided in the State for the two years immediately preceding the filing of the complaint.

      Section 6.3209.  Forgiveness.
       The Court does not issue a decree of divorce if the injured party has forgiven the ground for the divorce.  Proof of forgiveness may be by an express showing or by the voluntary cohabitation of the parties with knowledge of the fact and restoration of the forgiving party to all marital rights.  Forgiveness implies a condition that the forgiven party treat the forgiving party with conjugal kindness.  If the forgiven party commits an act constituting a similar ground for divorce or is guilty of conjugal unkindness sufficiently habitual and gross to show that he has not accepted or fulfilled the conditions of forgiveness in good faith, revocation of forgiveness and revival of the ground for divorce results.

      Section 6.3210.  Procurement or connivance as defense.
       The Court may not issue a decree of divorce for adultery when the adultery is with the procurement or connivance of the plaintiff.

Cross reference:
The constitutional provisions on the Judiciary are found in Kosrae Const., Art. VI.