Potential Side Effects Of An Open Marriage In Virginia
Before agreeing to an open marriage, it is crucial that you consider the potential side effects to which such an arrangement will expose you. Experienced family law attorney Michelle Hopkins offers insight below.
The Impact On Making It Work
The most significant danger of an open marriage is the outlet from your marital problems. Everyone knows how the high of a new relationship feels; combining that with opening the door to escaping the problems in a marriage, it becomes much less appealing to stay and fight for your marriage.
The Impact On Claims Of Adultery
By agreeing for your spouse to be intimate with another individual, the ability to divorce on grounds of adultery is greatly weakened if not eliminated, dependent upon the circumstances.
The Impact On Health
Open marriages may impact your health in several ways:
- If one partner is not completely comfortable with the arrangement of an open marriage, their mental and emotional health may be negatively impacted.
- If your mental and emotional health is greatly impacted by an open marriage, you may experience physical side effects such as chest pains, migraines, stomach trouble, etc.
- Choosing to be intimate with multiple sex partners increases the likelihood of exposure to a sexually transmitted disease.
The Impact On Parenthood
In the event that a wife participating in an open marriage becomes pregnant as a result of an extramarital sexual encounter, her husband is greatly impacted. Per Virginia law, he is presumed to be the father if he has been married to his wife for at least ten months prior to the baby’s birth. Therefore, he has the potential to pay thousands of dollars in child support and or legal fees. The biological father also has the potential to pay significant legal fees to establish his paternity.
How Can The Hopkins Law Firm Help Me?
The Hopkins Law Firm lawyers Michelle Hopkins and Sydney Remaily are highly experienced in litigating and settling divorces of all backgrounds in Prince William County, Virginia and surrounding areas. Please do not hesitate to contact their office today at 571-248-2210 or info@mhopkinslaw.com to schedule a consultation. Michelle Hopkins and her legal team are waiting to help you!