If a marriage breaks down, a husband and wife may legally end their relationship by obtaining a divorce.

There is ONE ground for divorce in Trinidad and Tobago: that  the marriage has broken  down irretrievably.  There are several ways of proving this irretrievable breakdown, which will affect how a “petition” is filed in court.

An irretrievable breakdown means that the couple can no longer live together as man and wife, and there is no chance of reconciliation.

The law in relation to divorce is set-out in the Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Act Chap 45:51.

A divorce petition cannot be presented until one year of marriage has passed, unless there are extreme circumstances.

The video above is the first in a series of Know The Law information guides, produced primarily for social media by the Hugh Wooding Law School Human Rights Law Clinic. One of the primary objectives of the Clinic is to help the general public to understand how the law works and how it can protect the average person.


This information guide was re-published with permission from the Human Rights Law Clinic.

About The Author Jason Nathu

Jason Nathu is an Attorney-at-Law and Tutor attached to the Legal Aid Clinic at the Hugh Wooding Law School.