Recently a Twitter user named @cxkenobkerry shared her advice on 20 things that people should do before getting married. While Twitter may not seem like the most traditional place to seek relationship or marriage advice, the Twitter thread went viral and was even featured on the Daily Mail. With this list reaching such a wide audience and with it now being October and therefore wedding season in Texas, it seems appropriate to analyze its contents from a perspective focused on family law in the Lone Star State.
In summary, the thread listed the following as the 20 most important topics to be considered before getting married: debts, commitment, whether or not the parties want children, a 5 to 10 year plan for the future, sexual health, potential anger management issues, religion, energy, compatibility, clothing (more generally the importance of material goods), age, finances, comfort level with a partner’s friends of the opposite gender, social media, savings, infidelity, issues regarding death of a spouse, concerns about abuse, love, and finally, trust. While this list only represents one person’s opinion and is in reality quite far from exhaustive, it covers a great deal of topics that arise often in Texas family law and divorce cases. Many Texas divorces, for example, involve financial disputes, as well as infidelity, and concerns regarding children. These represent only a few items commonly at the center of family law cases in Texas, but are sometimes sources of great disagreement among couples during a divorce.
This thread provides some interesting insight. However, it fails to point out that even if a couple has had thorough discussions and had the same goals prior to marriage, a person’s desires and/or behaviors can indeed change over time. And sometimes that is through no fault of either party. For example, financial situations of a couple that start in one place can improve unexpectedly or get worse. What this list really misses is that oftentimes divorce or family law issues arise as a result of change, and that change cannot always be simply anticipated by making a list before marriage.
While this list is certainly not the only way to determine the long-term potential of a marriage relationship, it raises some thought-provoking points. Perhaps the most important take away of the thread is that couples should be open and discuss all aspects of what they want in a marriage relationship prior to getting married and during marriage.
Should you need to discuss any questions regarding your marriage or divorce, please do not hesitate to contact one of the Dallas divorce attorneys of McClure Law Group at 214-692-8200.