What is the US legal definition of the sanctity of marriage?

"Marriage is a wonderful institution. But who would want to live in an institution?"--Henry Mencken

To answer your question, first consider the statistics on marriage and divorce in the U.S.A. (source: http://www.divorcemag.com/statistics/statsUS.shtml):

Here's a sampling of some of the most recently available statistics on marriage and divorce in the United States of America:

• There were approximately 2,230,000 marriages in 2005 -- down from 2,279,000 the previous year, despite a total population increase of 2.9 million over the same period.
• The divorce rate in 2005 (per 1,000 people) was 3.6 -- the lowest rate since 1970, and down from 4.2 in 2000 and from 4.7 in 1990. (The peak was at 5.3 in 1981, according to the Associated Press.)
• The marriage rate in 2005 (per 1,000) was 7.5, down from 7.8 the previous year.
• In 2004, the state with the highest reported divorce rate was Nevada, at 6.4 (per 1,000). Arkansas was a close second, with a divorce rate of 6.3, followed by Wyoming at 5.3. The District of Columbia had the lowest reported divorce rate, at 1.7, followed by Massachusetts at 2.2 and Pennsylvania at 2.5. (Figures were not complete for California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, or Oklahoma.)
• 8.1% of coupled households consist of unmarried heterosexual partners, according to The State of Our Unions 2005, a report issued by the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University. The same study said that only 63% of American children grow up with both biological parents -- the lowest figure in the Western world.
• As of 2003, 43.7% of custodial mothers and 56.2% of custodial fathers were either separated or divorced. And in 2002, 7.8 million Americans paid about $40 billion in child and/or spousal support (84% of the payers were male).
• Americans tend to get married more between June and October than during the rest of the year. In 2005, August had the most marriages at about 235,000 or a rate of 9.3 per 1,000 people. The previous year, July was the highest month at 246,000, or a rate of 9.9; this doubled the lowest month in 2004, January.

A reasonable synonym of "sanctity of marriage" is "holy matrimony." Traditionally, marriage vows read (paraphrased, as couples are usually free to cite their own vows) "Let this man and this woman be united before God and let no man put asunder"; i.e. they put the sanctity of their union in the hands of a higher power, and let no earthly being destroy that union, unless they ask a court of law to destroy it.

However, judging by the "reasonably close to actual" 50% divorce rate, as stated on the website divorcerate.org, there is no 'sanctity' of the marriage anymore. Too many people, apparently, get married for the 'wrong' reasons. "Sanctity" is defined as holiness, or sacredness, and apparently, not enough people hold their marriages to that standard. So, using this concept, 'sanctity of marriage' is whatever the married persons hold it up to be.

First answer by ID1253628375. Last edit by ID1253628375. Question popularity: 3 [recommend question]