Divorces on the rise in DC due to political differences

While divorce rates are falling across the country, according to the most recent Census data available, divorces are on the rise in Washington, D.C. — and political differences are to blame, according to a new report. Several attorneys in the D.C.-Maryland-Northern Virginia area told Axios that they’ve seen an increasing number of clients inside the Beltway seeking to end their marriages over irreconcilable political differences. One attorney, family law attorney Jessica Markham, even said that social media posts about topics like conspiracy theories and gun rights have been used as evidence in custody battles. In another case, a parent blamed his or her spouse for “abandoning” the family to attend protests and rallies. According to Markham, many of these conflicts began during the COVID-19 pandemic and have since escalated as the 2024 presidential election season reaches its peak.