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Title: Divorce Law and Family Formation

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2008

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Abstract: Several studies have investigated whether unilateral divorce laws raised divorce rates, with mixed results. This paper asks whether unilateral, and no-fault, divorce laws influenced family formation. Besides their interest to policy makers, such effects may help theorists understand the mechanisms through which laws affect behavior. The results suggest that no-fault laws slightly reduced fertility, and unilateral divorce modestly increased divorce and legitimacy. However, the pattern of effects is not consistent with any of the hypotheses reviewed, and the estimated magnitudes suggest that changes in divorce law were not a major cause of changing family structure.

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Authors: Drewianka, Scott

Periodical (Full): Journal of Population Economics

Issue: 2

Volume: 21

Pages: 485-503

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Family and Marriage, Fertility and Mortality

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