Need for Divorce Might Feel Like Emergency, But 911 Won't Help

When someone has had it and their spouse's behavior has pushed them from thinking about divorce to finally deciding to divorce, immediate action might feel like what one needs. Unless violence or other illegal activity is involved, however, dialing 9-1-1 isn't the appropriate action.

A Pennsylvania woman called the police with what was really a family law matter and not an emergency situation. The Associated Press reports that she dialed the emergency number, told dispatchers that she wanted to end her marriage and that they should come and take her husband.

Authorities didn't find the 9-1-1 divorce call very funny. In fact, the caller has been cited for disorderly conduct. She would have been better off finding another way to live apart from her husband and initiate the divorce process.

Divorce is a civil matter that requires individual action on the parts of the parties seeking it. Law enforcement wouldn't play any role in a family law matter unless the caller was reporting an incident of domestic violence or illegal offense that could impact matters of a divorce. The Pennsylvania caller in this case didn't report any abuse and, therefore, reached out to the wrong people for assistance.

Someone who wants a divorce can get the guidance and support she needs from an experienced family law attorney. Preparing for divorce includes thinking about living arrangements, collecting and copying financial documents, collecting tax information and much more.

Visit our Preparing for Divorce page to learn more about what to do and what to consider before officially getting the divorce ball moving.

Source: The Associated Press, "Pa. woman cited for calling 911 because she wanted divorce, police to make her husband leave," April 15, 2013