Covenant Marriage In Arkansas

Currently, there are just three U.S. states where you can get a covenant marriage: Arkansas, Louisiana and Arizona. If you are considering a covenant marriage, you should make sure you understand the pros and cons.

At Robertson, Oswalt, Nony & Kennedy PLLC, in Little Rock, our family law and divorce lawyers can explain the differences between a regular marriage and a covenant marriage. We can also help you understand the special requirements for getting a divorce in this situation. Whether you are thinking about entering into a covenant marriage or getting a covenant marriage dissolution in Arkansas, we can answer your questions.

What Is A Covenant Marriage In Arkansas And How Is It Different From A Regular Marriage?

A covenant marriage has extra requirements before you can get married or divorced. The Arkansas covenant marriage requirements are that the couple:

• Notes their wish for a covenant marriage on the marriage license application
• Completes Arkansas premarital counseling requirements with clergy or a counselor
• Gets a notarized affidavit that they completed the counseling
• Signs a declaration of intent to remain married for the duration of their lives

The potential drawback of these special requirements is that they make it more difficult to divorce if there are problems in the future.

How Do You Dissolve A Covenant Marriage In Arkansas?

In Arkansas, the dissolution of a covenant marriage is governed by the Covenant Marriage Act of 2001, which mandates stricter requirements than a standard marriage. In this type of marriage, a spouse may seek dissolution after receiving counseling and must provide evidentiary proof of a specific breach of the covenant, such as adultery, commission of a felony, physical or sexual abuse or one year of abandonment.

Alternatively, couples may seek divorce through continuous separation. If no prior court action has been taken, the couple must live separate and apart, without reconciliation, for two years. If a couple with minor children seeks dissolution based on separation following a judicial separation, the timeline extends to two years and six months. If the judicial separation was obtained on the basis of child abuse, the waiting period for the final divorce is reduced to only one year.

These stringent timelines and limited grounds reflect the legal intent to prioritize marital stability and require a significantly more involved legal process than the no-fault options available in standard Arkansas marriages.

Get Help With Divorce In A Covenant Marriage

Our knowledgeable divorce attorneys have helped many people divorce in a covenant marriage. We understand the extra steps and are prepared to assist you with them so you can move forward. Please call our Little Rock law office at 501-588-4451 or send us an email to get started.