A Decade of Divorce in Oregon

Divorce in Oregon has changed over years, and as we have entered into a new decade it is time to look back. In today’s blog post we will look at some of the statistics and changes around divorce, specifically in Oregon. Data for 2019 has not yet been released so we will compare 2018 and 2008. Let’s see what difference ten years can make.

Divorce numbers are down

It might surprise some to learn that divorce rates have actually been declining over the past decade. In 2008 there were almost about 14,800 divorce filings in Oregon[1]. Despite substantial population growth, the number of divorces has actually fallen by almost half a thousand divorces a year. In 2018 the number of filings had decreased to 14,162.

Marriage numbers are up

It might be reasoned that the declining divorce rates are related to declining marriage rates overall. However, the total number of marriages per year in Oregon has actually increased. There were 26,139 recorded marriages in 2008. A decade later and the number of marriages has increased to 26,501 in 2018. It should be noted that this is only a 1.4% increase in annual marriages over that ten-year period. Compare that to the estimated 11.2% increase in population[2]. People are not getting married as often, but they’re getting divorced even less.

Petition filing costs fell

In 2008 it cost $381 just to file for a dissolution of marriage in Multnomah county, and an additional $254 to file a response. Different counties had different filing fees, but this has somewhat changed. Most fees have now been standardized for all circuit courts in Oregon, and the cost of filing a petition actually went down. For examples, in the beginning of 2018, the cost of filing a petition for dissolution was only $273 despite a decade of inflation. It should be noted that this cost as of October 2019 is now $301 to file either the petition for dissolution of marriage or the response to a petition for dissolution of marriage.

Technology has improved

Oregon circuit courts implemented the Oregon eCourt system among many other technological improvements over the past decade including ePayment and eFiling systems. The software legal firms use has also dramatically improved over the past decade. Do not be surprised if your lawyer proposes a video call as opposed to an in-person meeting to save time and money.