In January 2024, the District of Columbia enacted D.C. Law 25-115, the Grounds for Divorce, Legal Separation, and Annulment Amendment Act of 2023. This legislation substantially revised D.C. Code § 16-904 by eliminating the mandatory separation periods that had long served as a prerequisite to filing for divorce. Under the prior statute, a party seeking divorce was required to demonstrate that the spouses had lived separate and apart without cohabitation for six months by mutual consent, or for one year absent such consent. These requirements reflected a more traditional framework that conditioned access to the courts on a period of
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The legal basis for extending a Civil Protection Order is set forth in D.C. Code § 16-1005(d-1), which authorizes a judicial officer to extend an order upon motion of any party for good cause shown. A finding that the respondent violated the CPO is not required. Good cause exists where the petitioner demonstrates a cognizable danger that the respondent will commit or threaten to commit a criminal offense against the petitioner in the coming year if the order is not extended. In assessing good cause, the court must consider the entire mosaic of the case, including evidence of what occurred
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