Joint account holders cannot remove a co-owner after divorce without both parties' consent

When a married couple divorces, either party who wants to remove their ex-spouse from a joint bank account typically needs both account holders to appear at the branch together and sign paperwork, or both must submit written consent. So what? In contentious divorces where one party is uncooperative or has disappeared, the other person cannot unilaterally remove them from the account even with a court order, because many banks require their own internal process regardless of court directives. So what? The ex-spouse retains full legal access to the account and can withdraw the entire balance at any time, which means a person's paycheck deposited via direct deposit can be drained by an estranged ex. So what? Even if the victim opens a new individual account, switching direct deposit takes 1-2 pay cycles, during which their income continues flowing into the joint account their ex can access. So what? The person going through divorce must choose between the risk of their ex draining the joint account or the logistical nightmare of simultaneously opening a new account, redirecting all automatic payments, updating direct deposit, and managing two accounts during an already stressful life event. So what? This financial vulnerability is frequently weaponized in abusive relationships, where the controlling partner drains joint accounts as a form of financial abuse, and the victim has no quick recourse through the bank. The problem persists structurally because joint account agreements are contracts that require both parties to modify, and banks are unwilling to accept litigation risk by allowing unilateral changes. Family courts can order account freezes, but bank compliance is slow and inconsistent. There is no standardized emergency process for financial abuse situations.