Changes in the Economic Consequences of Divorces, 1958–2008

The author have been asked by the issue editor to write some comments about the changes in the economic consequences of divorce over the past fifty years. This is, of course, a huge topic; the author at most will be able only to offer some observations. American society has changed in many ways during the past fifty years, and a number of these changes have impacted issues relating to the economic consequences of divorce. The US has the advantage that family law rules are based on state law. Therefore, it would be possible for different states to promulgate very different presumptive rules to respond to different laws and cultural norms. It may well be time for representative groups of lawyers, academics, and judges to meet in each state and, based on how the local statutes are currently being construed in practice, attempt to craft presumptive formulas to address circumstances most commonly encountered.