Requiring Premarital Classes

[Rageaholic]

This has got to violate some amendment. I'm just not sure which amendments it violates.

[Nyoibo]

Pfft, we have pre-marital counselling here, the irony, they're intending to give vouchers for the counselling and make them available to same-sex couples...

...same sex marriage not legal in Australia yet

[Kheldarson]

This has got to violate some amendment. I'm just not sure which amendments it violates.

Why would it violate an amendment? Genuine curiosity here, since this was thrown about on the site I found this article from initially.

Because here's my thought on it, in terms of amendments and rights: The 10th Amendment states that any powers not specifically mentioned in the Constitution basically is under state control. The ability to recognize marriage is one of them. Marital recognition by the state is mostly for census, tax, and other sundry legal purposes, hence why you have to go in and get a nifty piece of contractual paper that has to be witnessed and signed by a recognized officiant saying "hey we're a contracted couple." Since it's the purview of the state to designate what qualifies for licenses and contracts of this manner, they could, therefore, state that taking classes is required, much like they do for driver's licenses, medical licenses, teaching licenses, etc.

[Andara Bledin]

The reason there are classes for those things is because you can adversely affect other people's lives who have no choice but to interact with you.

In a marriage, both parties have to agree that they want to enter into the arrangement, so to require a class beforehand is really pointless. Especially as the people who will pay attention are already attending on their own initiative.

It's worth noting that the biggest indicator that people will get divorced is that they get married early, before they're mature enough to really understand the commitment. A class will not help these people any more than the 'parenting' stuff in high school helps keep them from having kids.

[BlaqueKatt]

got it.

Is it really that common, or mostly an urban myth?

90,000 weddings per year

In addition to drive thru weddings they have a "wedding wagon" that comes to you.

the marriage bureau used to be open 24/7, now it's only 24 hours on weekends, but there is no waiting period. Got off the plane, walked 3 blocks for the license, took a cab to the chapel, and was legally married within 45 minutes of touching down in Nevada.

for 5k you can get a helicopter ride to get married at the bottom of the grand canyon at sunset, professional photography, and a return ride over the vegas strip at night, and some companies throw in a free hotel stay(though rooms aren't that expensive). My vegas wedding cost under $1000.00 US, including round trip airfare, license, hotel, rings, chapel, clothing, and for an extra $50 we could've had a webcast of the wedding for those that couldn't attend.