The Uniform Divorce Recognition Act, Sections 20 and 31 of the Divorce Act of 1949

How can a state prevent its domiciliaries from obtaining migratory divorce decrees? What effect should be given to such a decree if, despite attempts to prevent the practice, some citizens nevertheless persist in obtaining such divorces? What effect must be given to it under the full faith and credit clause of the federal Constitution? No answer has been given to these questions which has not aroused vocal and widespread dissent.

The Commissioners on Uniform State Laws have recently promulgated a proposed Uniform Divorce Recognition Act to deal with this problem, and the state of Washington has become the first state to adopt this statute. This statute raises numerous questions concerning its constitutionality, its interpretation, and the wisdom of its enactment, some of which I shall examine in the following comment.