What is a Louisiana covenant marriage?

Marie Hillman • January 18, 2017

One of the first questions I have to ask when someone comes to me about a divorce is if they have entered into a Louisiana covenant […] The post What is a Louisiana covenant marriage? appeared first on Hillman Law Firm.

One of the first questions I have to ask when someone comes to me about a divorce is if they have entered into a Louisiana covenant marriage. Ninety percent of the time I get a strange look as very few people have even heard of this type of marriage – so here is a short explanation:

A covenant marriage is an additional type of marriage made available in Louisiana. In 1997, the Louisiana Legislature passed the nation’s first covenant marriage law in an attempt to lower divorce rates. The law describes a covenant marriage as a marriage entered into by one male and one female who understand and agree that the marriage between them is a lifelong relationship. The couple legally agrees to seek marital counseling if problems develop during the marriage;  and legally bind themselves to only seek a divorce for the following:

  •             Adultery by the other spouse;
  •             Commission of a felony by the other spouse and sentence of imprisonment at hard labor or death;
  •             Abandonment by the other spouse for one year;
  •             Physical or sexual abuse of the spouse or of a child of either spouse; or

The spouses have lived separate and apart for two years; or the spouses are judicially or legally separated and have lived separate and apart since the legal separation for (a) one year and six months if there is a minor child or children of the marriage; (b) one year if the separation was granted for abuse of a child of either spouse; or (c) one year in all other cases.

If you have never heard of a covenant marriage, then you probably do not have one, as it does require extra steps and forms before entering. It also makes the process of divorce a lot more difficult, time consuming and expensive.

You can read more about the law here at: Covenant Marriage , Louisiana Department of Health’s website.

Disclaimer:  The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only. Nothing in this article is or should be considered legal advice. The information in this article is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship, and viewing or receipt of information from this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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