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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.
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