WHAT IS A "COVENANT MARRIAGE"?

First adopted in Louisiana in 1997 as an effort to hold down divorce and protect children, cooing couples have the option to choose between a covenant marriage and a standard marriage before they say, "I do". A covenant marriage requires premarital counseling and marital counseling in order to later solve conflicts in the marriage, before dissolving it. Though no-fault divorces are not permitted, the couple can divorce after a two-year separation or if one spouse is guilty of adultery, the physical or sexual abuse of the other spouse or a child, abandoned the home, or was convicted of a felony. Couples who are already married can convert their marriage to a covenant marriage. Several other states have considered covenant marriages as an option to the more traditional, easy-to-get-out-of, contracts.