It's Too Easy to Get
Married, Says New Survey

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 22 2004 -- Most Americans think it's too easy to get married, according to a new poll by the legal Web site FindLaw.

A majority of Americans, 57 percent, said it is too easy for people to get married. Thirty-nine percent disagreed. Three percent had no response. Women were more likely than men to say that it's too easy for people to get married -- 61 percent vs. 53 percent. People with children were also more likely to agree with the statement than those without children. Married people and unmarried people gave nearly identical responses.

Britney Spears and President Bush have drawn considerable attention to the issue recently.

President Bush is proposing a $1.5 billion "healthy marriages" plan that would provide marriage counseling and training, particularly for low-income couples. The President hopes the initiative will encourage couples to marry, especially couples with children, and learn skills that will help them keep their marriages intact.

Britney Spears' January 5 marriage in Las Vegas, on the other hand, lasted 55 hours, prompting speculation it was possibly a prank or publicity stunt by the top superstar. The annulment petition filed in Clark County Family Court stated that Spears "lacked understanding of her actions to the extent that she was incapable of agreeing to the marriage."

Several states have considered legislation that would require premarital counseling or waiting periods prior to obtaining a marriage license. Some legal experts contend that prenuptial agreements, somewhat paradoxically, may result in stronger marriages by forcing couples to agree on issues such as property rights and responsibilities before getting married.

Nationwide, 42 percent of marriages end in divorce or separation, according to a 2002 study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Center for Health Statistics. In addition, the study found that the rate of marriage has declined in recent years, while the rate of cohabitation by couples has increased.

Helpful information on the legal aspects of marriage, including what constitutes valid and invalid marriages, how marriage affects financial and property rights, and prenuptial agreements; as well as divorce and domestic partnerships can be found on free legal Web sites such as FindLaw.com.