My divorce clients have often commented on how easy and relatively inexpensive it is to get married, and how difficult and relatively financially costly it is to get divorced.   It is a fact of life that about one-half of all marriages end in divorce.   Therefore, while no one gets married with the expectation of getting divorced, everyone who gets married should know how their marriage will effect their legal rights and responsibilities.  Unfortunately, few people obtain pre-marital legal counseling about their separate property and community property rights, and about how their actions during the marriage may effect those rights in ways that they may not be aware of or even think possible.

Often, people who are interested in entering into Prenuptial Agreements seek pre-marital legal counseling as part of the preparation of their Prenuptial Agreement.   But even if a couple has no interest in signing a Prenuptial Agreement, I strongly believe they should obtain legal advice concerning what their marital rights and responsibilities will be after their wedding.   It is with pleasure that I give legal counsel to couples who plan to marry, not with the anticipation of their marriage ending, but to make sure they both know how marriage will change their legal rights, and thereby allow them to make sure that their true intentions will be put into effect.  I believe that such accurate and clear communication at the beginning of a marriage fosters the open communication and common understanding that allows marriages to flourish.