Section 25.24.200. Dissolution of marriage.

   (a) A husband and wife together may petition the superior court for the dissolution of their marriage under AS 25.24.200 - 25.24.260 if the following conditions exist at the time of filing the petition:
        (1) incompatibility of temperament has caused the irremediable breakdown of the marriage;
        (2) if there are unmarried children of the marriage under the age of 19 or the wife is pregnant, and the spouses have agreed on which spouse or third party is to be awarded custody of each minor child of the marriage and the extent of visitation, including visitation by grandparents and other persons if in the child's best interests, and support to be provided on the children's behalf, whether the payments are to be made through the child support services agency, and the tax consequences of that agreement;
        (3) the spouses have agreed as to the distribution of all real and personal property that is jointly owned or community property under AS 34.77, including retirement benefits and the payment of spousal maintenance, if any, and the tax consequences resulting from these payments; the agreement must be fair and just and take into consideration the factors listed in AS 25.24.160(a)(2) and (4) so that the economic effect of dissolution is fairly allocated; and
        (4) the spouses have agreed as to the payment of all unpaid obligations incurred by either or both of them and as to payment of obligations incurred jointly in the future.
   (b) A husband or wife may separately petition for dissolution of their marriage under AS 25.24.200 - 25.24.260 if the following conditions exist at the time of filing the petition:
        (1) incompatibility of temperament, as evidenced by extended absence or otherwise, has caused the irremediable breakdown of the marriage;
        (2) the petitioning spouse has been unable to ascertain the other spouse's position in regard to the dissolution of their marriage and in regard to the fair and just division of property, including retirement benefits, spousal maintenance, payment of debts, and custody, support and visitation because the whereabouts of the other spouse is unknown to the petitioning spouse after reasonable efforts have been made to locate the absent spouse; and
        (3) the other spouse cannot be personally served with process inside or outside the state.
   (c) [See delayed amendment note]. =ro Except as provided in AS 25.24.220(i), a spouse who has been personally served with a copy of a petition filed under (a) of this section may execute an appearance, waiver of time to answer, and waiver of notice of hearing. The appearance and waivers must include an acknowledgment signed before an officer authorized to administer an oath or affirmation that the spouse being served has read the petition; assents to the terms relating to custody of the children, child support, visitation, spousal maintenance taking into consideration the factors listed in AS 25.24.160(a)(2), and tax consequences, division of property, including retirement benefits and taking into consideration the factors listed in AS 25.24.160(a)(4), ownership of animals, taking into consideration the well-being of the animals, and allocation of debts; agrees that the conditions otherwise required by (a) of this section exist; agrees that the petition constitutes the entire agreement between the parties; understands fully the nature and consequences of the action; and is not signing the appearance and waivers under duress or coercion.
   (d) The action created under this section is separate from the action created by AS 25.24.010. The procedures prescribed by AS 25.24.200 - 25.24.260 do not apply to an action brought under AS 25.24.010, nor do procedures prescribed under AS 25.24.010 - 25.24.180 apply to an action filed under this section, except as specifically provided.
   (e) Spousal maintenance and a division of property must fairly allocate the economic effect of dissolution and take into consideration the factors listed in AS 25.24.160(a)(2) and (4).
   (f) [Effective January 17, 2017]. =ro A petition filed under (a) or (b) of this section may, if an animal is owned by a husband and wife together, provide for the ownership or joint ownership of the animal. The ownership or joint ownership of an animal provided for in a petition under (a) or (b) of this section must take into consideration the well-being of the animal.

Authorities

9.55.231;25.24.200;25.24.210;25.24.220;25.24.230;25.24.232;25.24.240;25.24.250;25.24.260

Notes

Recent Bills that will modify this

HB 15 MARRIAGE & SPOUSES
HB 147 ANIMALS: PROTECTION/RELEASE/CUSTODY
HB 342 MARRIAGE & SPOUSES

References

AS 9.55.231 .55.231">Sec. 09.55.231.
AS 25.24.200 Dissolution of marriage.
AS 25.24.210 Petition for dissolution.
AS 25.24.220 Hearing.
AS 25.24.230 Judgment.
AS 25.24.232 Children as dependents for tax purposes.
AS 25.24.240 Effect and modification of decree.
AS 25.24.250 Forms.
AS 25.24.260 Right to file action for divorce.

History

(Sec. 1 ch 260 SLA 1976; am Sec. 2 ch 15 SLA 1982; am Sec. 8, 9 ch 130 SLA 1990; am Sec. 4 ch 117 SLA 1992; am Sec. 7 ch 42 SLA 1998; am Sec. 20, 21 ch 60 SLA 2016)