Social Policy

"Covenant Marriage" a Choice in Louisiana

Couples seeking to marry in Louisiana now have a choice of contracts: "marriage lite" or "marriage plus." In addition to the standard modern marriage dissolvable by "no-fault" divorce, the state now offers the "covenant" marriage.

  • Under the new covenant marriage, couples pledge to enter matrimony only after serious deliberation, including premarital counseling.

  • They agree to try to solve potential marriage conflicts through counseling if either spouse requests it.

  • Divorce under this arrangement requires either an agreed upon two-year separation or one of a limited set of circumstances -- such as adultery, abuse, imprisonment for a felony or abandonment.

  • The law also allows married couples to renew their vows and to recast their marriage under terms of the covenant.

Proponents of Louisiana's covenant marriage -- the first in the nation -- hope it will hold down the divorce rate there. Studies show that about 20 percent of those who undertake prenuptial counseling decide not to marry their would-be spouse.

Source: Amitai Etzioni (Communitarian Network), "Marriage With No Easy Outs," New York Times, August 13, 1997.

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