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of dollars in credit card bills for which he charged his fair share.

The straw that breaks the camel's back for one woman is when her husband withholds their money from her, to the point where she has to ask for money to get gas to go to work and she receives $3. She leaves her husband one night, taking her two children with her. This infuriates the husband, and he begins to mount a case against her to gain custody of the children. And no tale was off limits. Witnesses were called in to verify depositions. They crossed out substantial parts of the officials statements made by the husband, contending events described did not happen in the manner they were portrayed. The husband continued to tell his side of the story, one very different from the wife's, and was believed by the judge. (The same judge as the prior example.) Custody was granted to the father and the mother, again the lower wage earner in the household, was ordered to pay $200 in child support each month. Happily, after about a year, the father's new girlfriend reported concerns about the children's welfare. Currently, the mother has custody and is petitioning for permanent sole custody.

Another reason for a mandatory pre-nup:

A man and his wife, who were married for 20+ years, decide to divorce. The wife tells the judge that she did not work so she could raise their children, and although she has a degree, would not be able to support herself at the same level without alimony. The judge takes sympathy upon the woman and orders the man to pay $1,000 a month for 10 years, setting a record for an alimony settlement in the county. (Note: Many divorce settlements require about $400 per month for a duration of 2 10 years, depending on the length of the marriage.)

These are just a few real-life examples from a small town in the Midwest, and I would say that fairness, honesty and justice, whether inside or out of the courtroom, do not prevail in most divorce cases.

Broaching the subject with a fianc can be awkward, to say the least. When you're talking about love and honor, in sickness and health, how do you bring up "what if it doesn't work?" A mandatory agreement solves this problem and prevents either person from being taken advantage or manipulated.

Learn more about this author, Stephanie Klesko.
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