He said, She Took

By: Daren Copely
College Press Staff Writer

    Boy meets girl. Boy and girl have fun together.  Boy and girl say “I do.”   Boy sleeps with his secretary.  Boy and girl split up.  Boy gives up half of what is his. Love and marriage is a very common and often expensive journey humans travel. Marriage marks the start of a brand new relationship its trials and tribulations and at times the end. But, what is the end and who owes whom what?

    When a couple becomes divorced, the options of dividing assets come into play, but for those who hold tight to their goods, there is always that prenuptial agreement. The binding document says that you can take nothing of mine, have a nice day. But, are these agreements fully binding? Are they fair?

    “Prenups are a great way to clear the financial air before getting married...getting all the financial issues on the table at the most romantic time is positive: if you can get through that then it must really be love!” said Defense Attorney and Fox News Legal Analyst Lis Wiehl.

    According to the Western City Law Review, looking back to the 1970’s, in the United States, prenuptial agreements were “historically not enforced.” But in 1983 the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, or UPAA, was created. The act was to “allow all US states to allow enforcements of prenuptial agreements.”

    How do kids on college campuses, children of divorce and ones studying about the bond of marriage feel about these marital arrangements?

    Michelle Lynne Andrus, Masters student in mental health counseling at Rollins College Psychology said, “I think pre-nups have a purpose; however, I also feel like when you're starting your life with someone, it's not always beneficial to make plans for when you get divorced.”

            Some of the most famous separations in the world have ended in a pricey court battle to see who has control of what assets. The top four most famous and expensive payouts in history go to:

1. Michael and Juanita Jordan:  $150 million+
2. Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey: $150 million
3. Steven Speilburg and Amy Irving: $100 Million
4. Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison: $85 Million