COURTSHIP and MARRIAGE

• The formation of family and a change in its

composition signals a major event in the
personal life course of an individual. The
dramas of courtship and the promises of
marriage are acknowledged by the
community as something vital in preparing
man for family life.
 *COURTSHIP

• Is the stage preparatory to marriage. It

includes a body of folkways and mores
through which a man and a woman can
come to some point of mutual
understanding from which, a permanent
union may emerge (Panopio, MacDonald
and Raymundo 1994; p.200)
 *STAGES OF COURTSHIP

1. Dating- man and woman are given

opportunity for friendly relations. Getting to
know w/ each other is the primary aim of
dating.
2. Going Steady- Refers to the practice of
dating one exclusively, although it does not
imply marriage.
• 3. Private Understanding- man openly
declares his love and affection for the
woman and his desire to have her for a
wife.
- keeping steady relationship signifies
mutual preferential feelings. Young couples
regard going steady, as period of exploration
in which they test their personality needs,
temperamental compatibility, common
interest and ideas.
• 4. Engagement- Social aspects are added
to the purely personal commitments of
both parties.
*Marriage
- Marriage is defined as a formal and
durable sexual union of man and woman,
which is conducted within a designated
rights and duties (Lanz and Synder, 1969;
p.16). This implies that marriage becomes
formal when it is accepted and sanctioned
by the society and that relationship is
characterized by permanence. Sexual
union implies sexual intimacy between
man and woman after marriage.
• Marriage is concomitant factor of the
family. It forms the basis for establishing a
family. The term is by itself an institution
admitting man and woman for family life
with the purpose of begetting and rearing
children.

• The new family code of 1988 defines

marriage as a special contract of
permanent union bet. Man and woman
entered in the accordance with law for the
establishment of conjugal and family life.
*Forms of Marriage
1. Monogamy-Marriage in which there is only
one wife and one husband
2. Polygamy- form of marriage in which a
person may have more than one spouse at a
time.
3.Polyandry- form of marriage in which one
woman may have more than one husband at
a time.
4. Polygyny- form of marriage in which a
man may have more than one wife at a time.
• Marriage is both “contract” and “status”.
It is a contract when a man and a woman
sign into agreement a permanent union that
it can only be dissolved by the death of the
other party. Unless, it is annulled or
declared null and void for legal causes by
the court. As a status, marriage is no longer
just a contract, it becomes an inviolable
social institution that is the foundation of
family.
 Requisites for Marriage
- Based on the provision of the New Family
Code of 1988, no marriage shall be valid
unless these essentials are present:
1. Legal Capacities of contracting parties. It
is made clear that the parties must be male
and female or of different sexes, a requisite
that is dictated by biological law since
procreation cannot be realized by two
persons of the same sex.
2. Consent of contracting parties. Consent
should be freely given in the presence of an
authorized solemnizing officer, not parental
consent. The couples presence is essential in
the marriage ceremony.

3. Valid married license. The minimum age

requirement is eighteen (18) years of age for
both male and female.
- Even at the age of 18, the contracting
parties must first secure the consent of their
parents or guardian.
 Dissolution of Marriage

• Annulment- it is a process by which marriage

is considered null and void due to defective
marriage that has existed on or before the
marriage. In annulment marriage is set aside
and the parties can marry again.
• Divorce- it is complete dissolution of marriage
wherein both parties can marry again.
• Legal separation- it is only separation from
bed and board that parties remained married.
 Grounds for legal separation
• Repeated physical violence or grossly
abusive conduct.
• Physical violence or moral pressure to
compel the petitioner to change religion or
political affiliation.
• Attempt to corrupt petitioner or child to
engage in prostitution.
• Final judgement sentencing respondent to
more than six years of imprisonment.
 Grounds for Annulment of Marriage
• Lack of parent consent.
• Insanity of one of the parties
• Fraud. However, if free cohabitation between
two parties after full knowledge of the fraud,
marriage is ratified.
• Force, intimidation or undue influence.
• Impotency
• Affliction of sexually transmissible disease
found to be serious and which appears
incurable.
• Drug addiction or habitual alcoholism.
• Lesbianism or homosexuality
• Attempt by one spouse against the life of
the other.
• Sexual infidelity or perversion
• Abandonment of one spouse by the other
for more than one year.
There is no more lovely, friendly and
charming relationship, communion or
company than a good marriage.
-Martin Luther
THANK YOU !!!! 