What is the primary characteristic of a divorce?

The primary characteristic of a divorce is the legal recognition of an end to a marriage. Divorce serves as a formal process by which a court dissolves a marriage, granting each party the right to remarry and legally concluding the responsibilities and rights associated with the marital relationship. This legal process typically involves the division of assets, consideration of child custody, and other implications that arise from the union.

While mutual agreement to separate, forming a new family unit, or a temporary cessation of marital duties may be aspects related to marital relationships or separations, they do not encapsulate the definitive nature of a divorce as a legal termination of marriage. Only through divorce does the law formally recognize that a marital union has ended, thus making it distinct from other forms of separation or reconciliation efforts.