No-fault divorce laws' impact on marriage exit rights

California's 1969 no-fault divorce law eliminated legal barriers to ending a marriage, fundamentally reshaping who can leave. Over 50 years later, this right faces renewed political challenges. The law allowed couples to divorce without proving fault like adultery or cruelty, making exit easier for both parties, particularly women in unhappy or abusive marriages. Its passage marked a shift from a moral to a contractual view of marriage. Today, conservative groups and politicians in some states are questioning no-fault divorce, arguing it undermines family stability. The debate reflects ongoing tensions between individual autonomy and traditional family structures.