The first step of the consultation began with a Facebook questionnaire and so far 797 Islanders have responded.
Throughout the consultation, people were asked to state whether they knew about the three-year ban on divorce for newly married couples and whether the ban should be removed. Of those who responded, 63 per cent, or 508 people, said that they didn’t know, while 289 said that they did.
The survey did not reveal any of the respondents’ personal views on the topic.
Islanders were also asked whether they felt that compulsory mediation – which would require couples to attend mediation sessions to try to agree a settlement before going to court – should be introduced.
Respondents were also asked: ‘Do you think that Jersey should introduce a no-fault divorce, where a couple or either party can end the marriage without having to specify the reasons why?’
Home Affairs Minister Kristina Moore said: ‘The States agreed, in principle, in 2015 that our divorce laws should be radically reformed.’ She added that the Matrimonial Causes Law 1949 did not reflect how people lived today.
Any proposed changes to the divorce law would have to brought before the States and approved by Members.
