An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in dissolution of marital status, further providing for decree of court.

PRINTER'S NO. 3388
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2502
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY ORTITAY, KULIK, GAYDOS, JAMES, KUZMA AND CIRESI,
MAY 11, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MAY 11, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in dissolution of marital status,
further providing for decree of court.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 3323(c.1) of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
§ 3323. Decree of court.
* * *
(c.1) Bifurcation.--[With]
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), with the
consent of both parties, the court may enter a decree of
divorce or annulment prior to the final determination and
disposition of the matters provided for in subsection (b) if
the court determines that doing so provides sufficient
economic protections for any minor children of the marriage.
In the absence of the consent of both parties, the court may
enter a decree of divorce or annulment prior to the final
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determination and disposition of the matters provided for in
subsection (b) if:
[(1) grounds have been established as provided in
subsection (g); and
(2) the moving party has demonstrated that:
(i) compelling circumstances exist for the entry of
the decree of divorce or annulment; and
(ii) sufficient economic protections have been
provided for the other party and any minor children of
the marriage during the pendency of the disposition of
the matters provided for in subsection (b).]
(i) grounds have been established as provided in
subsection (g); and
(ii) the moving party has demonstrated that:
(A) compelling circumstances exist for the entry
of the decree of divorce or annulment; and
(B) sufficient economic protections have been
provided for the other party and any minor children
of the marriage during the pendency of the
disposition of the matters provided for in subsection
(b).
(2) N otwithstanding paragraph (1), the court shall have
the authority to enter a decree of divorce or annulment prior
to the final determination and disposition of all claims
raised in the complaint without the consent of both parties
and without a showing of compelling circumstances if any of
the following apply:
(i) A valid protection from abuse order has been
entered under Chapter 61 (relating to protection from
abuse) in which one party is the defendant and the other
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party is the plaintiff.
(ii) A party has been charged with or convicted of a
personal injury crime, as defined in section 103 of the
act of November 24, 1998 (P.L.882, No.111), known as the
Crime Victims Act, against the other party.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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