Dorothy Wright Nevada’s lax marriage and divorce laws have made for memorable hookups, breakups and romantic shake-ups In 1931, in the throes of the Great Depression, the Nevada Legislature staked our state’s future on sin — divorce, gambling, easy marriage — as a way to draw tourists and their dollars. It was a bold move. Back then, divorce was scandalous — and strenuous. Most states had long waiting periods and a short list of grounds for granting a divorce, such as proven adultery. Enter Nevada, which enabled a six-week waiting period and allowed vague grounds for dissolving unions, such as “mental cruelty.” This opened the floodgates for the unhappily married to flock to Nevada — who brought more than their share of high-profile splits that have been enshrined in Las Vegas lore. Among them: