The Fault Statute of Massachusetts G.L. Ch. 208, Section 1 is that the courts are authorized in specific fault situations of adultery, impotence, deserting for one (1) year, gross and confirmed habits of intoxication caused by voluntary in excessive use of liquor, opium or other drugs, cruel and abusive treatment, imprisonment. Those are what is called the “Fault Divorces”, you have to prove that one spouse has caused this and it is their fault that the marriage has broken down. However, the reality in Massachusetts is that it is unusual to file for a Fault Divorce because it provides extra evidence and generally the pleadings do not make much of a difference in how the judge makes his judgments even though you can get into the conduct of the parties; particularly regarding children, or if it is financial misconduct.