In Minnesota, many people in troubled marriages turn to counseling to try to solve the problems in their relationship. Counseling works for a lot of couples, but others find that their troubles are too much to overcome. So they get divorced.
Divorce can be costly and time-consuming as it is, so one may assume that most people who file for divorce have given it serious thought, and decided that ending their marriage is best for all involved. But a new law in another state now forces divorcing parents to go to a government-run class that will try to talk them into staying together.
In Oklahoma, a law requiring classes for parents who have filed for divorce went into effect on June 4. The classes cost up to $60, and must be completed within 45 days of receiving a temporary order from the court.
The state senator who sponsored the bill said he introduced the class stop couples from divorcing. He said that, once the children are born, “It’s no longer about the parent.”
The possibility one or both of the parents are miserable appears not to matter much to the state senator. “Even if it makes the parents not the happiest couple in the world,” he said, “if it’s the best for that child … is it worth a little bit of sacrifice? I think so.”
Good cause exemptions exist, though an article about the law does not provide examples. Perhaps evidence of domestic violence is one exemption. Whether to grant the exemption is up to the judge. Nothing is mentioned about whether the fee can be waived for low-income couples.
Some couples, despite being unhappy in their marriage, stay together for the sake of the children. But others find that doing so does not help themselves or the kids. Parents who wish to divorce but minimize the impact on their children may be able to work together to create a fair and sensible child custody arrangement.
Source: KOKH-TV, “New law requiring divorce school for Oklahomans,” Chelsea Washington, June 8, 2014
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