On this day: California passed the nation's first "no-fault" divorce law

California's legislature, in 1969, passed the first "no fault" divorce law in the US, allegedly on today's date.

Prior to that, a person seeking a divorce in any US state had to prove "grounds" for the divorce, such as cruelty, abandonment, or infidelity, as reasons why the court could grant the divorce. Further, a defending spouse (the one who was being "sued" for divorce) could defend - say in his or her pleadings that no, there wasn't any cruelty, abandonment, or infidelity, and the court would possibly not grant the divorce.



Michigan law has its statute written this way: the party seeking a divorce has to allege in his or her initial complaint that there is "a breakdown in the marriage relationship to the extent that the objects of the marriage have been destroyed, and that there is no reasonable likelihood" that the parties would reconcile. MCL 552.6

This week in criminal (and Michigan) history: Hawley Crippen tries to escape murder charge in England

Hawley Crippen, a Michigan-born homeopath who became the first criminal caught using wireless telegraph, boarded a ship to escape the manhunt for him in England, on July 20, 1910.

He was accused of poisoning and dismembering his wife, a showgirl named Cora (a.k.a. Belle Elmore), then stuffing her down in the basement.

Article here.