Hi everyone! Lately I’ve been having a lot of conversations with my friends about marriage and what it means for us. A topic I’ve noticed not a lot of us are knowledgeable in is the legal contract side of marriage. I’ve been wondering if any books exist that explain the legal rights a married couple has as opposed to having a legal domestic partnership or to having a long-term partner but without legal ties. Most of what I’ve seen when I search are books about the emotional and mental aspects of having a marriage but not much about the benefits/drawbacks of marriage from a legal perspective. I’d really appreciate any suggestions!
by PurpleCentaur
4 Comments
I swear my mom read a book like this and told me about it a few years ago! Leaving a comment so I can find this later, I will come back and edit if I can find it. Basically it was def biased TOWARDS marriage so keep that in mind but it describes the legal and societal protections and benefits that come when people get married rather than dating indefinitely. For state-specific info you’d probably have to google, but I think this book could answer your questions from a more generic US perspective
Maybe not directly related, but a lot of the landmark legal cases involving LGBTQ couples were only an issue because the couples couldn’t legally marry. A good starting point might be Sharon Kowalski’s case; there’s a book about it called *The Sharon Kowalski Case: Lesbian and Gay Rights on Trial* by Casey Charles.
Hmm, maybe You’ll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other Than Love by Marcia Zug might fit the bill?
Unfortunately, since divorce laws can vary quite a bit by state, the legal benefits & risks of marriage will vary depending on the state in which one resides.