Divorce mill is a term used for a jurisdiction that is frequently used by non-residents to obtain a divorce quickly. Relocating temporarily to another jurisdiction to obtain a divorce is referred to as migratory divorce.[1] In the early years of the United States, after state legislatures gave courts the authority to grant divorces, some states had more lenient divorce laws than others. Divorce seekers began to travel to other jurisdictions when their home state's requirements were too onerous.
One of the first states to gain a reputation as a divorce mill was Indiana, followed by Illinois, Iowa, the Dakota Territory, and Nevada. When states became popular destinations for migratory divorce, many of the citizenry often protested. In response, some states made their divorce laws and residency requirements stricter, which resulted in divorce seekers moving to other liberal jurisdictions.
Coverage of the wealthy and the scandalous in newspapers often gave the public the perception that many more people were flocking to divorce mills than actually were.