General Flashcards
What are the requirements of a ceremonial Marriage
License and Ceremony (solemnization)
What are the requirements for a license to be issued
Capacity to marry
Waiting period to end
Medical Testing (some)
When will a license not be issued
One party married to another Too closely related Sham marriage Incapable of understanding nature of act Influence of drugs/alcohol Party lacks consent/duress/fraud
What are the requirements for a common law marriage
Parties agree they’re married
Cohabitate
Hold themselves out to be married
What is the intent required for common law marriage
Must be evidenced by words in present tense
Ways to end a marriage
Annulment
Divorce
Death
What is a void marriage
One where the marriage is declared as never happening
Grounds for voiding a marriage
Prior existing marriage
Incest
Mental Incapacity
What is a voidable marriage
Marriage that is valid until a judicial decree dissolves the marriage
Grounds for voidable marriage
Age Impotence Intoxication Fraud Duress Lack of Intent
Defenses to void marriage
Deny the existence of the impediment that makes the marriage void; removing the impediment makes marriage voidable
Defenses to voidable marriage
Equitable defenses of unclean hands, laches, estoppel
What is the putative marriage/spouse doctrine
A party who participated in a ceremonial marriage and believes in good faith that the marriage is valid, they can use a states divorce provision even if the marriage is later found to be void
Grounds for no fault divorce
Marriage is irretrievably broken and there is no prospective of reconciliation
Irreconcilable differences must exist for a specific period of time prior to filing divorce
Grounds for Fault Divorce
Adultery Cruelty Desertion Habitual Drunkenness Bigamy Imprisonment Institutionalization for Insanity
Defenses to Fault Based Divorce
Must be affirmatively pleaded Recrimination Unclean Hands Connivance Condonation Collusion Provocation Insanity Consent Justification Religion
Two ways to Divide Property
Community Property or
Equitable Distribution
Equitable Distribution of Property
Objective is a fair distribution of marital property, not necessarily equal
What is marital property
All property acquired during marriage
What is non marital property
Property acquired before marriage
Property excluded by parties valid agreement
Property acquired by gift or inheritance (except gifts between spouses)
Award or settlement payment received for cause of action or claim accrued before marriage
Factors for distribution of marital property
Length of marriage
prior marriages
age
health, earning potential, liabilities, needs of both spouses, contributions to education, income, medical needs, retirement of both spouses, valued of separate property, reduction in valuation in marital property by one spouse, standard of living, economic circumstances of each spouse at time of divorce, custody
What are the factors for alimony
Financial resources; child support; spouses earning potential; other spouses ability to pay support; standard of living; time to find employment; time to complete education; length of marriage; contributions to marriage; age; physical and mental health of each; marital misconduct
Types of support/alimony
Lump sum Permanent Limited duration Rehabilitative Reimbursement Palimony
Permanent alimony
Award for remainder of dependent’s spouses life; usually when marriage was long duration, 15+ years