What is Divorce?
Divorce is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union.
How To Divorce In Zambia
CIVIL MARRIAGE
- A petition for divorce may be presented to the Court by either party to a
marriage on the ground that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.
Divorce in Zambia cannot be done via proxy. Only in rare cases will a Court
grant a divorce when one party is outside Zambia; in that case the
a respondent who is outside Zambia must agree to accept the Court’s
decision without contest. - The Court hearing a petition for divorce shall not hold the marriage to
have broken down irretrievably unless the petitioner satisfies the Court of
one or more of the following facts:
(a) that the respondent has committed adultery and the petitioner finds it
intolerable to live with the respondent;
(b) that the respondent has behaved in such a way that the petitioner
cannot reasonably be expected to live with the respondent;
(c) that the respondent has deserted the petitioner for a continuous period
of at least two years immediately preceding the presentation of the petition;
(d) that the parties to the marriage have lived apart for a continuous period
of at least two years immediately preceding the presentation of the petition
and the respondent consents to a decree being granted;
(e) that the parties to the marriage have lived apart for a continuous period
of at least five years immediately preceding the presentation of the petition. - On a petition for divorce, it shall be the duty of the Court to inquire, so far
as it reasonably can, into the facts alleged by the petitioner and into any
facts alleged by the respondent. - A decree of dissolution of marriage shall not be made if the Court is
satisfied that there is a reasonable likelihood of cohabitation being
resumed.
How long does it take To Divorce In Zambia?
The respondent has deserted for a continuous period of at least two years. That the parties to the marriage have lived apart for a continuous period of at least
two years and the respondent consents to a decree being granted. That the parties to the marriage have lived apart for a continuous period of at least five
How much does it cost to divorce in Zambia?
As it stands, based on general reports from various legal sources across the country, the overall cost of filing a divorce case ranges between KW250,000 to KW600.
What are the valid reasons for divorce in Zambia?
The sole ground for divorce is that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. The person seeking a divorce can establish this by providing evidence of one or more of the following:
The respondent has committed adultery.