More than 40 percent of troubled marriages that came before the court have been saved from breakup after couples were required to undergo a 45-day “cooling off” period before being allowed to divorce, according to Jing’an District People’s Court.
The court introduced the “cooling off” period in June, and by October, 27 out of 67 couples finally didn’t go through with a divorce, the court said.
Couples were required to examine themselves and their marriages. The court also provided psychological counselling, said Du Ming, a presiding judge of Jing’an court.
Many couples rushed into divorce, often over temporary anger triggered by small incidents, made worse by normal family and life pressures.
In one case, a woman surnamed Gao complained that her husband surnamed Huang often got drunk and beat her over several years due to workplace and economic pressures.
She felt she couldn’t stay. They had been married a decade.
Talking with a psychologist, Huang praised Gao as a good wife and a good daughter-in-law who took special care of his father. He took the chance to remember their good times as a couple.
He apologized and Gao dropped the case.
He kept his promise and he told the court the cooling off period saved the marriage.
Du said the court now has six psychologists and East China Normal University will send three teachers or students majoring in psychological consultation to the court as assistance every year.
