Divorces between married couples have adapted to the American way of life. Americans debate each year how best to reduce divorce rates, but instead of reaching common ground, new disputes arise. Divorce rates have reached an extremely high level in America today. Divorce harms the mental being of the family, not only the couple, but also the separated children. However, successful marriages have extremely important benefits for couples as well as children. Legal reforms to the marriage system are essential to reducing America's extremely high divorce rates. Current in-law marriage law in the state of Louisiana offers couples applying for a marriage license the choice of either a traditional marriage license or an in-law marriage license. When couples receive a step marriage license, they understand that step marriage laws, like the one first passed in Louisiana, have multiple benefits and help improve divorce rates in the United States. Choosing a step marriage license would require couples to receive premarital counseling before receiving a license. “A covenant marriage is defined by the Bill as a marriage entered into by a man and a woman who understand and agree that the marriage between them is a lifelong relationship.” (Army lawyer). This law benefits overall divorce rates as it offers couples an alternative that reduces the number of divorces. “A covenant marriage restricts the grounds for divorce, should the marriage later encounter problems, to the grounds of adultery, abuse, abandonment, and imprisonment for a felony.” (Army lawyer). The Covenant Marriage Act makes the dissolution of a marriage much more difficult than ...... middle of paper ...... to be able to deal with differences in the marriage when they arise. Premarital questioning shows couples the differences they share with their partner so they can understand each other's interests. Legal reforms can help America reduce divorce rates with the help of individual states. Works Cited Matalin, Mary. “Should we make divorce harder?” » Cosmopolitan 224.1 (1998): 44. MasterFILE Premier. Internet. February 20, 2014. “Louisiana First State to Adopt Covenant Marriage Statute.” » EBSCO host. Np, September 1997. Web.Polomeno, Viola. “Divorce prevention and perinatal education.” International Journal of Childbirth Education 23.4 (2008): 21-25. AltHealthWatch. Internet. March 2, 2014. Russo, Francine. “Can the government prevent divorce? EbscoHost. Np, October 1997. Web. LT “Before you say” I do. "Ebony 67.2/3 (2011): 78. MAS Ultra - School Edition. Web. March 30. 2014.