As the number of divorces that occur each year continues to climb, it can often seem as if a marriage is doomed before it has even begun. Far too often the sentiment is that if the marriage becomes difficult, a divorce attorney is only a phone call away. However, there are valid reasons why some people end up in divorce court. If there was any type of abuse, fraud or infidelity, then those are all valid reasons to terminate a union. Often when starting out in a new marriage, the small flaws are overlooked until finally they become huge, glaring problems.

If there was ever a valid reason to call up the family lawyer, then it would be because your spouse has been cheating on you. Infidelity is the number one reason why most couples suffer through bitter divorces. The problems they may have had up to that point may have been small matters. It may have been arguing over money or not spending enough time with one another. But once cheating and betrayal enters into the marriage, it heads south very quickly and can get very ugly.

Dating is a tough business. You really have to invest a lot of time and effort in the dating scene. If you have never been married and have only dated, then it can come pretty easily to you. But if you are one of the newly divorced singles on the market, then dating can be a daunting task. Even if you were only away from the dating field for a couple of years, it can be a tough scene to break back into.

There are very few adults who set out in life with the intent purpose of getting a divorce. Most people do have the intent when they marry that they will stay married to their partner for the rest of their lives. Nowhere is it written that a marriage should only last a few years. A marriage break-up can be a very ugly and a terrible battle that makes everyone miserable. But if you are going to be splitting up, then you have to have your rights information. You need to know the rights you have and the rights that you do not have, especially if kids are involved.

Divorced parents go through quite a lot before the final paperwork is signed by the judge who will dissolve their marriage. They have to arrive at a divorce settlement that divides all of their conjoined accounts and finances. They have to worry about who gets the house and who gets the furniture. But one area in particular is especially sensitive. Child custody can turn a divorce into a very bitter battle. Both parents want to be with the child full-time but that is not possible.

Did your neighbor’s separation and divorce make it into a national magazine? Chances are that unless your neighbors were Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt, it did not even make it into the local paper unless it was on the court docket or was particularly nasty. Celebrity divorces grab the attention of readers all over the world. People want to know about their favorite celebrity hiring a divorce attorney over an issue of infidelity. The nastier the divorce, the more people want to read about it.

Same sex marriages are legal in Belgium, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, South Africa and Spain, as well as Connecticut and Massachusetts in the United States. Vermont, New Jersey and New Hampshire offer “civil unions.” In Maine, Washington, California, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Hawaii, these out-of-state marriages are at least recognized with limited same sex benefits. There are many reasons for gay and lesbian couples to desire marriage. Why shouldn’t these couples be able to ceremonially express their deep love for one another? Why shouldn’t these couples be able to gain tax benefits, property rights and hospital visitation rights as heterosexual couples do? Though there has been much contention over gay marriages, this small ceremony has become the next great civil rights struggle of the 21st century.

Pre marriage counseling really does pay off, according to a four state survey of over 3,000 homes published by Scott Stanley in the Journal of Family Psychology (March, 2006). The survey found that couples who met with marriage family counselors were, on average, 31% less likely to divorce than couples who did not attend counseling. They were also more likely to report higher marital satisfaction, lower marital conflict and greater levels of commitment.

Many couples wonder if their relationship is worth fixing at all. Thousands of people live in an unhappy situation, pondering divorce or simply living in a perpetual state of disrepair. However, marriage therapy can help couples both young and old. You may feel set in your ways or that your early years of romance are completely unattainable. Perhaps you have become two different people. Yet, just as a police officer can de-escalate a domestic dispute, so does the marriage counselor diffuse an emotional bomb before you’re left picking up the pieces.

Certified counselors who offer marriage counseling services can cost between $45-$200 per hour, which is small potatoes compared to divorces that run anywhere from $1,500-$30,000, unless, of course, you’re Paul McCartney, who recently paid $48 million for his high-profile separation! You may choose Christian counselors who specialize in strengthening the husband-wife bond to make a healthy environment for children. Or you may want to find a counselor who has gained special training for substance abuses, those suffering from depression or couples therapy.