Divorce; create 13th ground for irretrievable breakdown.

HB 1271 would add a 13th ground for divorce in Mississippi, allowing a court to grant a divorce when it finds an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage and that further reconciliation attempts are impractical or futile and not in the best interests of the parties or family. It also removes the "willful and obstinate" requirement from the existing desertion ground, making desertion for one year a simpler basis for divorce without needing to prove the spouse's willfulness. This bill directly affects Mississippi residents seeking divorce by providing a new no-fault option and streamlining one existing ground. The proposed changes would take effect July 1, 2026, but the bill died in committee in 2026 and did not become law.