Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 4-29-2026
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Public Policy Leadership
First Advisor
Melissa Bass
Second Advisor
Zachary Vereb
Third Advisor
Jennifer Parsons
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
When compared to almost any other state in the country, Mississippi is an outlier when it comes to divorce and child custody laws. Mississippi still retains a fault-based system to adjudicate contested divorces and still maintains best interest of the child as the default custody standard in court. These standards make Mississippi an exception nationally, requiring dedicated hearings to assign blame for the collapse of a marriage. This thesis aims to study how this unique system has impacted those going through it by surveying attorneys in the state who practice family law. This thesis will compare experiences both nationwide and on the state level to determine how Mississippi compares with its peers. Analysis of the survey data from the attorneys suggested that Mississippi’s current divorce and child custody law systems generally produce fair outcomes but impose significant time and financial burdens on parties. Furthermore, thematic analysis of attorney responses to open-ended questions revealed a deep dissatisfaction with the current system and strong support for the addition of a true no-fault divorce statute in Mississippi. Attorneys also supported increased training for judges and court staff, and providing more support for minor children caught in a divorce. Based on these findings, this thesis suggests two policies to help improve the Mississippi divorce and child custody system: the implementation of unilateral no-fault divorce and requiring more training for court officials hearing family law cases.
Recommended Citation
Conner, Charles, "Whose Fault is it Anyways?: An Investigation into Mississippi Divorce and Contested Custody Laws in Practice" (2026). Honors Theses. 3594.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3594