Judge: 'Wretchedly Unhappy Marriage' No Reason for Divorce

UK woman is appealing ruling denying her a divorce
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 15, 2017 3:33 AM CST
Judge: 'Wretchedly Unhappy Marriage' No Reason for Divorce
Unhappy? Too bad, says judge.   (Harrison Sweazea, Missouri Senate via AP)

When Tini Owens says she's trapped in a loveless marriage, she means it. Owens, 65, was denied a divorce from her millionaire husband of 39 years after he told a UK judge their "minor" disagreements are simply a part of married life, reports the Times. In a case last year, Owens had petitioned the court for a divorce, complaining of "continued beratement" from her husband following her affair in 2012. Hugh Owens, 78, admitted he often "teases" his wife "in a very loud voice," but said he'd forgiven her infidelity and believed the pair should remain married into old age, per the Mirror. The judge sided with the husband, noting Tini's complaints were "of the kind to be expected in marriage" and "an exercise in scraping the barrel."

During an appeals court hearing on Tuesday, Tini—who has slept apart from her husband for several years and now lives away from their Worcestershire home—said she feels "unloved, isolated and alone." A judge responded that "it is not a ground for divorce if you find yourself in a wretchedly unhappy marriage." That provoked Tini's lawyer to call for the law to change to introduce "no-fault" divorces "in line with current thinking and social norms." He says it's unfair of a judge to ask his client to live separately from her husband for five years before again filing for divorce without his consent given their ages, per the Telegraph. It isn't clear when a decision is expected. (A man blames Uber for his divorce.)

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