Dorothy Wright
Nevada’s lax marriage and divorce laws have made for memorable hookups, breakups and romantic shake-ups
In 1931, in the throes of the Great Depression, the Nevada Legislature staked our state’s future on sin divorce, gambling, easy marriage as a way to draw tourists and their dollars. It was a bold move. Back then, divorce was scandalous and strenuous. Most states had long waiting periods and a short list of grounds for granting a divorce, such as proven adultery.
Enter Nevada, which enabled a six-week waiting period and allowed vague grounds for dissolving unions, such as “mental cruelty.” This opened the floodgates for the unhappily married to flock to Nevada who brought more than their share of high-profile splits that have been enshrined in Las Vegas lore. Among them: