Jordan D. Hillman

Dr. Jordan D. Hillman

The Divorce Economist

I study why people get married, why they get divorced, and why states regulate both. I earned my Ph.D. from Texas Tech University and teach microeconomics and econometrics at MSU Denver.

More about me →

Current and Upcoming

Publications
Forthcoming “Did Unilateral-No-Fault Divorce Laws Raise Divorce Rates?” — Contemporary Economic Policy
Papers
Under review “Econsummation: Rational Choice of Bedding Rituals”
Working “Free to Choose Again: EFNA and Divorce Rates”
Conferences
Association for Private Enterprise Education (2027)
Teaching
Microeconomics, Business Forecasting, and Labor Economics (Fall 2026)
Featured Research

Divorce, Marriage & the Law

National Divorce Rate

U.S. National Divorce Rate, 1958–2022

State-Level Explorer

U.S. Divorce Rates by State, 1958–2022

Divorce rate
Unilateral-No-Fault Divorce Law Implemented
Source: Wolfers (2006) and IPUMS ACS (authors' extension to 2022).
Note: Some states have missing data for certain years.

Consummation Ceremony Illustrations

The Marriage of Charles X Gustavus, 1654
The Marriage of Charles X Gustavus, 1654. Painter: Jurgen Ovens.
Melusine manuscript illumination, 1468
Germanisches Nationalmuseum. (1468). Melusine [Manuscript illumination, Hs. 4028, fol. 41r]. Germanisches Nationalmuseum.
Begetting of James the Conqueror
Begetting of James the Conqueror, consummation of Maria of Montpellier and Peter II of Aragon (c.1207).
Ritual defloration, Mandeville 1484
Ritual defloration in the travel book of Mandeville, ed. 1484, book 4, chapter 7, fol. 8v. Image sourced from Wettlaufer (2000).

Criminal Conversations

Crim. Con. trial pamphlet, 1817
Criminal conversation trial pamphlet: Browne v. Blake, Court of Common Pleas, Dublin, 1817.
Sir Richard Worse-than-sly, 1782
Drawing of an eyewitness account of a criminal conversation. National Portrait Gallery, London (1782).
Caroline of Brunswick and Bartolomeo Pergami
Caroline of Brunswick and Bartolomeo Pergami, commissioned by George IV.
The Trial of Queen Caroline
The Trial of Queen Caroline.
Crim. Con. sketch
Crim. Con. A sketch taken from life by Seignor Gabrielli.
Mrs N and Her Pet L
Political cartoon of the Trial of Caroline Norton. Published by G. Humphrey, London, 1821.