The Supreme Court on January 20, 2026, called for warring couples to avoid using courts as battlefields and stressed the use of mediation for early dispute resolution. A Bench of Justices Rajesh Bindal and Manmohan dissolved the marriage of a couple who lived together for only 65 days and have been separated for over ten years. The court noted an irretrievable breakdown of marriage and exercised its power under Article 142 of the Constitution for dissolution. The Bench said, "Warring couples cannot be allowed to settle their scores by treating courts as their battlefield and choke the system. If there is no compatibility, there are modes available for early resolution of disputes. Process of mediation is the mode which can be explored at the stage of pre-litigation and even after litigation starts. When the parties start litigating against each other, especially on the criminal side, the chances of reunion are remote but should not be ruled out." The court highlighted how court battles often escalate with evidence collection or even creation, fueled by the age of artificial intelligence. False allegations are common, which worsens the dispute. The Bench said it is crucial to make early efforts at resolution before strong stands take hold. District mediation centres are available and have shown encouraging success, sometimes even leading to couples living together again. The court also pointed out that children often become points of conflict. "First and foremost, earnest effort should be made by the parties and to be guided by the advocates, whensoever consulted in the process, is to convince them for a pre-litigation mediation. Rather, in some cases, their counselling may be required," the Bench added. Even in cases filed for trivial issues like maintenance or domestic violence, the court said mediation should be the first approach instead of starting formal pleadings that aggravate disputes. The court advised that reconciliation efforts also apply before police complaints are registered in matrimonial matters, preferably through court mediation centres. The Supreme Court emphasized that increasing matrimonial litigation demands active efforts from families and legal professionals to resolve issues early, reducing the burden on courts and improving social outcomes.