Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

covenant marriage

A marriage that is entered into under a law establishing certain requirements for marriage and divorce in a state that otherwise allows for no-fault divorce. ( In the late 1990s, several states (beginning with Louisiana) passed laws providing for covenant marriages. The requirements vary, but most of these laws require couples who opt for a covenant marriage to undergo premarital counseling. A divorce will be granted only after the couple has undergone marital counseling and has been separated for a specified period (usu. at.least 18 months). The divorce prerequisites typically can be waived with proof that a spouse has committed adultery, been convicted of a felony, abandoned the family for at least one year, or physically or sexually abused the other spouse or a child. - Also termed high-test marriage.