High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Thursday, September 15, 2011
The number of divorces granted in Scotland in 2009-10 was 10,173, 10 per cent fewer than in 2008-09 and the lowest number in the last 10 years. There were 27 civil partnership dissolutions in 2009-10, up from 17 in 2008-09.
Source: The Scottish Court Service and General Register Office for Scotland
The Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 reduced the non-cohabitation periods required to establish the irretrievable breakdown of a marriage. This led to some divorces taking place earlier than if these changes had not been made, and is the main reason for the increase in divorces in 2006-07 and the subsequent decline, although the effect of these changes has now expired.
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