Marriage agreements are legally legitimate marriages in three states (Arizona, Arkansas and Louisiana) in the United States, where married couples agree to obtain pre-marriage counseling and accept a more limited basis for then search for divorce (the most stringent is that spouses separate from each other for only one year). Both supporters and critics of the marriage agreement have described it as a religion that invites the government to the square. Louisiana became the first state to pass a treaty marriage law in 1997; Shortly after, Arkansas and Arizona followed. Since its birth, very few couples in those states have married under the marriage law of the treaty.
Prior to entering the marriage agreement, couples must attend pre-marital counseling sessions "stress the nature, purpose, and responsibilities of marriage" and must sign a statement stating "that the marriage of the covenant is for life." In contrast to the requirement that no divorce divorce is softer for non-treaty marriages, couples in contract marriages seeking divorce may be required first to attend marriage counseling. Couples who want a divorce must also prove that one of the following is true:
- The other couple has committed adultery.
- The other couple has committed a crime.
- Other couples are involved in substance abuse.
- Other couples physically or sexually have abused spouses or children.
- Couples have lived apart for the minimum amount of time prescribed by law (one or two years, depending on state law).
In many cases, such as in Pennsylvania, there is little difference between divorce under divorce laws in marriage agreements in other countries, and divorce under the law of impaired divorce in countries like Pennsylvania. For example, standard non-error divorce in Pennsylvania also allows divorce in question only after the parties are separated for at least a year.
Couples who marry without a marriage agreement can also accept the obligations of the marriage agreement in the future.
Regardless of the purpose of the marriage supporters of the treaty, in the three states by treaty marriage law, only a very small minority of newlyweds have chosen a marriage agreement. In Louisiana, between 2000 and 2010, only about 1 percent of married couples chose marriage agreements, with 99 percent more choosing to get married under standard marriage laws that allow divorce without fault. In Arizona, the approximate marital degree of agreement among new pairs ranges from 0.25 percent to 1 percent. In Arkansas, the number of couples who also very few choose the marriage agreement.
According to supporters of marriage agreements, the movement aims to promote and strengthen marriage, reduce divorce rates, reduce the number of children born out of wedlock, prevent cohabitation, and frame the marriage as a respectable and desirable institution.
Covenant marriage critics have described it "as an example of a religion that harnesses state power" and creates a roadblock for unexplained divorce that "can easily exacerbate" a bad family situation "and harm children. According to these critics, "[w] the aiting and compulsory period 'adds new frustration to a frustrated life'" and only "paternalism - extends government in pursuit of conservative social goals."
The treaty marriage law is technically written neutrally with respect to religion, but many see the marriage law of the treaty as a government that allows a marriage religious form, especially because of its historical background. Indeed, Katherine Spaht, a founder of the Louisiana Family Forum, and a supporter of Louisiana Family Law treaty, states that "[a] nother a less obvious purpose of the law, which is reflected in the possible conduct of mandatory pre-marital counseling, is to revitalize and revive 'community' known as the church Reinforcement of the result of inviting religion back 'to the public square'.... "Tony Perkins, sponsor of the Bill Billboard of Louisiana and other founders of the Louisiana Family Forum, described the marriage agreement as coaching environment for "traditional family values" that "depends on the community of faith."
Video Covenant marriage
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Source of the article : Wikipedia