Extreme Cruelty Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Extreme Cruelty.

Extreme Cruelty (noun phrase):

The legal concept of Extreme Cruelty refers to the severe physical or mental harm inflicted by one spouse on the other. This term is often critical in divorce cases and property division. In such scenarios, if there is evident proof of extreme cruelty, some states may favor the sufferer during the property division process. This term is less relevant in states that recognize "no fault" divorces, but it can be a significant factor when fault is considered.