Family Lawyer in Connecticut
posted in Family Law
on Wednesday, December 19, 2012.
It seems that some people are trying a new form of divorce. Rather than dividing the family and figuring alimony payments and custody arrangements, some couples are choosing to stay together — but only legally. Some are calling this a “consorce,” a new word that takes its root from the Latin word for “cohabitation.” This is similar to the word “divorce,” as it also has Latin roots.
In a consorce, a couple on the verge of divorce decides to end the romantic part of the relationship and continue as platonic partners. This would likely be best suited for those couples with children, as a major reason for sticking together in such a situation is to keep life stable for the kids. By choosing to end the intimate portions of a marriage, a couple can focus on parenting and cohabiting without worry. This does mean that the couple must be able to get along with one another still, though.
Instead of dividing the family life in half as some divorces do, a consorce allows a couple to keep things together. The house does not need to be sold or argued for during the property division process, bank accounts do not need to be closed, the couple does not have to go to court. No lawyers are brought in and there isn’t as much damage as there would be if the couple was brought into court to hash out the divorce and all that comes with it.
Experts suggest that couples who choose a consorce can continue doing it for as long as it works. It may stop working when one of the partners finds a new romantic partner and they want to remarry or move in with that person. Some think that it is best to not discuss such things like a new romantic partner with your former spouse, who is now your current roommate and parenting partner.
Source: Fox News, “Don’t get a divorce, get a ‘consorce,’” Keith Ablow, Dec. 11, 2012
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