Come January, if you want a divorce, Louisiana may not be the best place to get it.

The state currently has a wait period of six months before any divorce there can be finalized.

Starting next year, the waiting period will increase to a full year – but only for couples who have minor children together.

There are, however, exceptions for cases where adultery, or sexual or other physical abuse is alleged.

This is a somewhat perplexing move for the recovering state. Perhaps the intention behind it is to promote reconciliation of parents of young children.

But, the good-intentions-road may take some unpleasant and undesirable detours to:

• nastier, more expensive divorces, fueled by false allegations designed to fall within the exceptions to the increased waiting period and
• the more disgruntled of the two spouses picking up and leaving the rest of the family, to establish residency in another state, where they can get their divorce sooner – such as Florida

Read more in this KLFY TV 10 news article: Some couples will have to wait longer for divorce.