It’s no secret there are a myriad of new age approaches to marriage, most recently displayed in popular culture with Gwyneth Paltrow’s separation from Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin, that Mrs. Paltrow dubbed their “conscious uncoupling.” No matter what these two call their separation, if they indeed find they can’t salvage the marriage, California family law court’s nomenclature for the divorce process will not deviate.
In like manner, millennials — a term used to refer to the generation born from 1980 onward, brought up using digital technology and mass media reaching adulthood on or about 2000 — seemingly have a much different view of marriage than their parents. This was recently evidenced by a survey published in a July Time Magazine article. The survey found that just under half of millennials said they would support a marriage model that involved a two-year trial, after which the union could be either formalized or be dissolved with no divorce or paperwork required. This type of trial run is being referred to as “beta marriage.” The reasoning behind the concept is that the “beta period” allows the couple to give the relationship a pre-marriage test drive in an attempt to exhibit each other’s peccadillos, work out kinks, then if things are found to not work, simply sever ties without legal or other consequence.
The author of the study, Melissa Lavigne-Delville, explained “this is a generation that is used to this idea that everything is in beta, that life is a work in progress, so the idea of a beta marriage makes sense. It’s not that they’re entirely noncommittal, it’s just that they’re nimble and open to change.”
From a family law standpoint, the beta-marriage concept could be problematic in Tennessee since marriage is controlled by statute and not common law. As such, divorce laws do not specifically apply to living together or to “beta-marriage” arrangements. Issues such as child custody, co-parenting, property rights, assets accumulated and responsibility for debts are not subject to divorce laws if the beta-marriage originated in Tennessee.
If you are in a relationship but not sure what the law says as it relates to a “beta-marriage” arrangement or you’ve been in a common law relationship originating in Tennessee that is dissolving, it would be wise to seek the services of a competent family law professional and explore your legal options. Schedule an appointment today with our attorney, Donna Wagner.
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“I spoke with several attorneys and from the moment I spoke with Donna I knew she was the person I wanted to hire for a child custody case.
From the very first interaction she was enthusiastic, friendly, and honest. She asked a lot of questions to get to know the case well. I was so impressed with how thorough and thoughtful she was throughout the entire process, explaining every step along the way.
Donna was great at staying in contact and kept me updated as everything progressed. She was affordable and very fair in her billing. If ever another situation is to arise in which I’m requiring legal assistance and representation she will be the first I call.
Due to Donna’s persistence I was able to come out ahead with more than I had ever hoped for when I first brought her my case. She helped me to see and understand things about my situation that would have never occurred to me on my own.
This woman has so much integrity! I’m so grateful for all of her help during a nerve wracking time. She was incredibly personable. I highly recommend Donna Wagner for your legal needs.
Best decision I ever made in the midst of a divorce, from someone who asked for the divorce, was to hire Donna Wagner. I was facing an attorney who was representing my spouse, thinking all I had to do was sign the papers. No, they were attempting to get money out of me. Keep in mind we didn’t have any kids. Anyhow, Donna came in and shut it all down. I was due in court in a week and she got that continued. After going back and forth with the opposing attorney, Donna was able to not only get them to settle the case without going to court but have everything ruled in my favor. I am finally divorced and can breathe easy. Thank you Donna Wagner!
Donna provided such expertise during my case with her. She was always responsive, knowledgeable and professional, while also being compassionate to my situation. I cannot recommend her enough!
I know for certain that If I am needing an attorney again in the future, I will be using Donna Wagner. There are so many great things to say about Donna. However, I believe what I appreciated most was how Donna handles special situations, and I assure you, my circumstances were just that! Donna was very thorough during my entire case. She was able to address my unique case but also do so with legal basis even though the courts may not always allow for such situations. Donna was very thorough each step of the way and was certain to not leave any stone un-turned. One thing I really liked about Donna was her fire. When situations arose, she can be more than passionate about her job and serving justice to those who deserve it. I also want Donna’s clients to know that she was very timely with me in her communications with me. Whether by email or phone, she was always just a call or a message away. When being in a legal situation, I know from previous experience, being able to reach your attorney means everything. I am more than pleased with the results that I recieved from Donna Wagner, and I assure you my case turned out better than I had imagined and even for a fair price. Donna Wagner rocks!
I know for certain that If I am needing an attorney again in the future, I will be using Donna Wagner. There are so many great things to say about Donna. However, I believe what I appreciated most was how Donna handles special situations, and I assure you, my circumstances were just that! Donna was very thorough during my entire case. She was able to address my unique case but also do so with legal basis even though the courts may not always allow for such situations. Donna was very thorough each step of the way and was certain to not leave any stone un-turned. One thing I really liked about Donna was her fire. When situations arose, she can be more than passionate about her job and serving justice to those who deserve it. I also want Donna’s clients to know that she was very timely with me in her communications with me. Whether by email or phone, she was always just a call or a message away. When being in a legal situation, I know from previous experience, being able to reach your attorney means everything. I am more than pleased with the results that I recieved from Donna Wagner, and I assure you my case turned out better than I had imagined and even for a fair price. Donna Wagner rocks!
I obtained Mrs. Donna Wagner’s services in 2012 to help with my charge of driving under the influence. I first called several other attorneys, but none of them were willing to listen to my case. Mrs. Wagner not only took the time to listen but went out of her way to be sensitive to my issues, respond quickly to my questions, and help me understand this unfamiliar process. It was clear to me from the beginning that she knew the system well and was very thorough in her exploration into my case. With her experience and knowledge of the Mt. Juiliet court system, combined with her adept use of the evidence at hand, she was able to get my charges significantly reduced. I could not be more happy with my choice of attorney. I am certain that I would not have had such a successful outcome without her guidance and skill.
