Divorce in a demographic and in a legal sense

In Dutch statistics, the term ‘divorce’ is defined in two contexts: in a demographic and in a legal sense. Figures on the subject of divorce may therefore differ slightly – depending on the source used.

In population statistics, divorce is a demographic event where the moment of divorce coincides with the registration of the judge’s pronouncement  in the population registration. Since October 1994, population statistics count all divorces  of which, at the time of registration, at least one of the partners is registered in the municipal population registers. No distinction is made between pronouncements by a Dutch judge and those by a foreign judge.

Statistics on divorce procedures describe the result of legal procedures connected with divorce. However, the pronouncement by the judge does not mean the divorce is  finalised. From the moment the judicial divorce order becomes irrevocable, the partners filing for divorce have a period of six months to register the order in the population registration. If they do not do so, or do so too late, the order ‘expires’ and the divorce is deemed not to have taken place.