USA artical

Couples can find a mate, fill out a bridal registry and plan a honeymoon on the computer. Now they can also divorce online. A Web site started last year by a Seattle attorney gives the unhappily wed in Washington, California, Florida and New York the option of dissolving their marriages online. Texas is next, and several other states are being considered. The site is the latest twist in a do-it-yourself trend. Changing trends in the USA Average age of first marriage Divorce year male female Divorced Americans Divorces granted 1970 23.2 20.8 4.3 million 0.7 million 2000 26.8 25.1 19.9 million 1.2 million Sources: U.S. Census; National Center for Health Statistics No national figures exist on self-representation. But some experts estimate that as many as half of 1.2 million couples divorcingannually in the USA do so without a lawyer representing at least one of the parties. Requirements vary by locale as to whether a couple must show up in court or can mail in or fax their divorce filing. But in allcases, a judge must still sign the order ending a marriage. Not everyone is thrilled with the notion of cyber-divorce. Judges and lawyers fret that couples who use the Web site may believe they’ve had legal counsel when they haven’t. And leaders in the movement to save marriages complain that point-and-click divorce further undermines the institution’s supposed sanctity. “I can only think of one use of the Internet that’s worse and that’s pornography,” says Dennis Rainey, executive director of FamilyLife, a religious group based in Little Rock. “We’re trying to do all we can to call people to keep their wedding vows.” FamilyLife has joined with 30 other organizations since 1999 in drawing 175,000 spouses nationwide to “I Still Do” ceremonies that affirm marriage. Despite the marriage celebrations, about one-fifth of American men and women have been divorced at least once. A study released last month by the U.S. Census shows about 90% of Americans will marry at some point. For men, 54% married just once. For women, 60%. Serial marriage is rare: Only 3% of Americans have married three times or more; 13% have married twice. Stacey Kiss of Seattle is among those who traveled to virtual Splitsville. The self-described “Internet junkie” says it took her and her husband of seven years about three hours one night to click through the Web site’s detailed questions. “We never got along on anything through our entire marriage, but we still managed to come to an agreement,” says Kiss, 36, a hospital business-services manager. “Why drag it out and make it complicated?” She says the online split was cheaper and easier than her first, traditional divorce. Now single, Kiss says she’s comfortable with dot-com divorce, but she draws the line at cyber-dating. “I like surfing the Web,” she says, “but not for men.”