No. Nevada attorneys report decline in divorces

RENO, Nev. - Northern Nevada attorneys say a decline in the number of divorce cases could be part of the current economic downturn.

Attorneys say some couples who have lost jobs and a struggling to pay mortgages may not be able to afford to part ways. Attorney Jonathan King says he's seen a three-year decline in the number of divorce cases he handled.

Data from Washoe County shows 1,913 divorces were recorded in 2008. That's down from 2,722 in 2001.

But University of Nevada, Reno economist Elliott Parker says he sees no link between the economy and divorce rates. Parker says Census Bureau statistics show the national divorce rate has seen a continuous decline, dropping from 4.7 divorces per 1,000 to 3.5 in 2008.

Nevada's divorce rate dropped steadily from 11.4 per 1,000 people in 1990 to 6.5 by 2007.