According to Swedish law separation and divorce decrees may only be granted by the courts. If both spouses are agreed that they cannot continue the matrimonial cohabitation they can always demand a separation. Furthermore each spouse may obtain a separation if the other has grossly violated his matrimonial duties or if the marriage has broken down due to deep and lasting disagreements. When a legal separation has lasted for one year each spouse may demand a divorce, and this is the ground for divorce most widely relied upon in Sweden. There are, however, several other grounds for divorce among which the most important are adultery and living apart for a period of at least three years.