Influence of Procedural Decisions on Divorce Outcomes

Abstract
The effects of decisions made during the divorce process on the probability of wife's receipt and amount of award of principal residence, cash, alimony, and child support at the time of divorce were estimated. A 10 percent random sample of court records provided data on legal representation, type of proceedings, grounds for divorce, role in proceedings, actions to contest divorce, motions filed during divorce, and asset and income awards. Length of marriage, number of minor children, and presiding judge were controlled in the analysis. The effect of procedural choices on wife's income receipt was greater than on her asset receipt. The most influential procedural decisions were women's decisions to be repre sented by an attorney and to contest the divorce.

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