Marital abandonment refers to a situation in which one spouse severe ties with the family, forsaking his or her responsibilities and duties to the family. Simply moving out of the family home in an attempt to create a temporary or permanent separation is not considered abandonment. The difference is often seen in the person’s refusal to provide necessary support, whether financial or otherwise, with no intention to return, or to fulfill those responsibilities. In most states, the remaining spouse has no financial responsibility to the abandoning spouse.
Marital abandonment does not necessarily refer to a spouse leaving the home, but may be accomplished when one spouse forces the other to leave through bad behavior. If one spouse intentionally makes life insufferable for the other, giving the other spouse no choice but to leave, he or she has committed constructive abandonment. Many acts or refusal may give legal grounds for a victim-spouse to leave the marriage and home. These may include:
Physical, emotional, or mental cruelty
Physical abuse
Infidelity
Withholding sex
Refusing to provide financial support.
Find out all you need to know about marriage abandonment and all.