It is hard to ignore the fact that less people are getting married these days. In fact, only 51% of all adults choose marriage, reflecting a record low. Consequently, couples are living together in lieu of marriage. In the United States, it is reported that around 15.3 million heterosexual couples cohabitate.
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The recent 72-day marriage of reality-show celebrity Kim Kardashian to NBA star Kris Humphries brings to light a poignant truth: sometimes, a legal relationship just isn’t going to be a happy one, and one or both persons know it within a very short time. In California, there are three possible ways to end a short-duration marriage or domestic partnership. Continue Reading
People living in California are well aware of the ongoing controversy surrounding Proposition 8, the ballot measure seeking to ban gay marriage, which was passed in 2008 and subsequently upheld by the California Supreme Court. However, in August 2010, a federal judge ruled that Proposition 8 violates the U.S. Constitution’s guarantees of due process and equal protection. The controversy is likely to go on for some time, as the case is expected to reach the United States Supreme Court.
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Even though the California Supreme Court reached its decision to uphold the same-sex marriage ban, both Proposition 8 supporters and opponents still have a lot of work ahead of them. The Los Angeles Times reports that fund raising efforts have begun on both sides, as the possibility of voter re-amendment of the constitution in 2010 to restore gay marriage is being planned. Strangely enough, the two rival lawyers in the Bush v. Gore case are now working together and have set the stage for a federal challenge to Proposition 8, as discussed in the San Diego Union Tribune. Continue Reading
