WPC 6Lk-ATIɠH^[H!FbZ<'6q C__Cid>!}clgMG$ .=~5@AF3QV蕹B4EED-vw]I1f=*. d18WkqW3K];1`wԜ#rE-{WDS>եZ7y+,JU KUFCC&welvDmR﷋R"I &êo5[43$^խt`{ Ryc3 Y)GQxA?.T  Agreementthatheandhiswifehadsigned.Hetooknofurtherlegalsteps,andafterfivemonths, *z  withoutnoticetohim,thetrialcourtdismissedthecomplaintforfailuretoprosecute. f    Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuitCourt > ReversedandRemanded  * Cantrell,P.J.,M.S.#XҰ #XҰX.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichKochandCain,JJ.joined.  RonaldC.Rowe,Nashville,Tennessee,ProSe  WandaJ.Rowe,_Tullahoma_,Tennessee,ProSe b @66' OPINION #XXҰ#XҰXԈ &v @) I.  N   RonaldC.RoweandWandaJeanRoweweremarriedin1990.Bothpartieshadbeen !&! previouslymarried.In1992,Mr.Rowewasconvictedofaggravatedsexualbattery,andwas "" sentencedtotwelveyearsimprisonment.OnNovember19,1998,hefiledaComplaintforAbsolute ## Divorce,onthegroundoftheirreconcilabledifferences.ThecomplaintwasdocketedintheCoffee $$ CountyCircuitCourtasNo.2444D.AttachedtothecomplaintwasaMaritalDissolution % % Agreement(MDA). r&!&   Theagreementstatedthatthepartieshadnochildren,thattheyhaddividedtheirpersonal J(#( property,thattheyownednorealproperty,andthatneitherofthemhadincurredindebtednessinthe 6)$) nameoftheother.Theagreementalsorecitedthatthehusbandagreedtobearallcourtcostsarising "*r%* outoftheproceedings,andthat [_b]oth_ԀHusbandandWifewillwaivetherighttobepresentforany +^&+ hearing,iftheCourtapprovessuch.Theagreementwassignedbybothparties. +J',   ,6(-   Otherdocumentsfiledonthesamedayincludedanaffidavitsignedbythewife,statingthat   shewasawareofthecontentsofboththehusbandscomplaintandtheMDA,thatsheassentedto  alloftheprovisionsoftheMDA,andthatshehadchosennottoberepresentedbycounsel;the  wifeswaiverofserviceofprocessofthecomplaintthroughthesheriffsoffice,acknowledgingthat t acopyofthecomplainthadbeendeliveredtoher;andaMotiontoProceedinForma_Pauperis_,filed ` bythehusband. L    NofurtherdocumentwasfiledinthiscaseuntilApril5,1999,whenthetrialcourtissuedthe $ t following:  ` @! ORDEROFDISMISSAL   8   ` ThismatterwascalledtobeheardonApril1,1999,andnoonehaving   appearedthismatterisdismissedforfailuretoprosecute,andthecostsaretaxedto   theplaintiff.     Thisappealfollowed. p @) II.  H   Mr.Rowefiledabriefthatessentiallyreiteratedhisdesireforadivorce,andstatedseveral  p othergroundsthatwouldhavejustifiedadivorceforeitherparty.Mrs.Rowedidnotfileabriefin  \ response,sothiscourtenteredanorderthattheappealbesubmittedforadecisionontherecordand H ontheappellantsbriefalone. 4   WenotethatTenn.Code.Ann.364103(c)(1)statesthataBillfordivorceontheground   ofirreconcilabledifferenceshastobeonfileforsixtydaysbeforeitisheard,ifthepartieshaveno  unmarriedchildrenundereighteenyearsofage.Thewaitingperiodisninetydaysifthepartiesdo  haveanunmarriedminorchild.    Whilethestatutemakesiteasierforpartiestoobtainadivorcewithoutgoingthroughthe X  sometimesunnecessaryprocessofallocatingfault,thewaitingperiodgivesthemachancetochange D! theirminds,andpreventshastyandemotionaldecisionsfrombecomingthebasisofcourtordersthat 0"  couldbindthepartiesforever.Itappearslikelytousthatthetrialcourtwouldhavegrantedthe #l! divorce,ifMr.Rowehadsimplyfiledamotionafterthe60dayperiod,askingforittobegranted. $X"   FromareadingofMr.Rowesbrief,italsoappearstousthathisfailuretofilesuchamotion %0!$ didnotarisefromanyweakeninginhisdesiretofreehimselfandhiswifefromthebondsofa &"% marriagethatwasofnobenefittoeitherofthem,butsimplyfromignoranceoftherequired '#& procedure. (#'   ThewordsofthelateChiefJusticeGraftonGreenseemparticularlyrelevanttoMr.Rowes |*%) situation: h+&*     Ҁ"Wefullyrecognizethatconsiderationsofpublicpolicydemandthattheinstitution  ofmarriagebeshelteredandsafeguarded.Butthereisanobversesidetothecoin  ofpublicpolicyandconsiderationmustbegiventothefactthatsocietyisillserved t byalegallycommandedcontinuanceofamarriagewhichexistsinnameonly. ` _Lingner_Ԁv._Lingner_,165Tenn.525,534,56S.W.2d749,752(1933). 8    AsimilarideaisquotedinaFarrarv.Farrar,553S.W.2d741at744,745: [_s]ociety_Ԁisnot  ` interestedinperpetuatingastatusoutofwhichnogoodcancomeandfromwhichharmmayresult."  L    Inviewoftheaboveconsiderations,andoftherelativelyquickdispositionofMr.Rowes $  complaintbythetrialcourt,weremandthiscasewithinstructionsthatthetrialcourtconsiderthe   meritsofMr.Rowescomplaint,aslongashefilesatimelymotionforthecourttograntthedivorce.   Althoughshehaswaivedserviceofprocess,Mrs.Rowemustbeservedwithacopyofthemotion,   sothatshewillhaveanopportunitytoopposeit,ifshesowishes.   @^^( III.  \   Theorderofthetrialcourtisreversed.RemandthiscausetotheCircuitCourtofCoffee 4 Countyforfurtherproceedingsconsistentwiththisopinion.Taxthecostsonappealtotheappellee.  p #XXҰ#XҰX