A recent high-age divorce case was accepted by the People's Court of Jiangling County, Jingzhou City, Hubei Province, China. A 93-year-old man surnamed Cai, accompanied by his children, filed a lawsuit in April requesting divorce from his 85-year-old wife, surnamed Yao. Citing reasons such as lack of ambition and family responsibility, incompatibility, and a three-year separation which rendered the marriage merely nominal, the court eventually granted Mr. Cai's request.
According to Chinese media reports, the judge stated that this case was an extremely rare example of "silver divorce" in the area. Mr. Cai was born in 1932 and remarried Mrs. Yao in 2009, at the age of 77, forming a "late-in-life couple" as both were in a second marriage.
As their ages increased, both experienced deteriorating health conditions, increasingly unable to care for each other's daily needs. Three years ago, Mr. Cai's children took him back into their care, while Mrs. Yao was looked after by her eldest son, leading to their separation.
Upon receiving the case, the judge employed assistance from the local comprehensive management center and village security officers to conduct pre-court mediation and home visits. Investigations revealed that the feelings between the elderly couple had gradually faded over time; meetings rarely led to conversation and often ended in quarrels, making the marriage difficult to sustain in reality.
Concerns Over High-Age Divorce Affecting Reputation
Although Mrs. Yao initially opposed the divorce, worrying that a high-age divorce would damage her reputation, the judge clarified that freedom of marriage is protected by law, irrespective of age, and should not be considered "shameful."
Eventually, with family members present as witnesses, Mr. Cai and Mrs. Yao reached a divorce mediation agreement, amicably dissolving their marriage. Despite no division of assets or debts being necessary, Mr. Cai voluntarily offered Mrs. Yao 10,000 RMB as compensation.
Increase in Elderly Remarriage and Divorce Cases
The judge noted that elderly marriages differ from those of younger people; they prioritize companionship and care over traditional pursuits of career and family development. With “twilight romance” becoming increasingly common, there has been a rise in remarriage and divorce cases among the elderly, reflecting that such relationships have relatively weak emotional foundations and are more easily influenced by factors such as children and finances.
Judges urge children to respect their elder's wishes, understand, and show concern for their emotional needs and life difficulties in old age. (News Source: CTWANT)