Ongelijkheid in Huwelijks - En Samenlevingscontracten (Inequality in Marital Contracts - A Plea for Imperative Rules and Negotiated Approach) (in Dutch)

Tijdschrift Estate Planning, pp. 98-117, 2010

Tijdschrift Conflicthantering, No. 8, pp. 21-30, 2009

10 Pages Posted: 31 Jan 2011 Last revised: 3 Apr 2011

See all articles by Alain-Laurent Verbeke

Alain-Laurent Verbeke

KU Leuven - Faculty of Law; Harvard Law School; KU Leuven - Faculty of Psychology; Tilburg Law School

Date Written: September 29, 2009

Abstract

Despite the legal equality between husband and wife in marriage, there remains an enormous factual inequality that does not seem equitable. Many women remain in a weak financial and economical position, given the possibility in many continental jurisdictions such as Belgium, France, the Netherlands, to adopt a marital contract of strict separation of assets. The paper claims this injustice be solved exploring two tracks: externally and internally. The external track suggests intervening through legal means: an imperative system of participation in marital gains, irrespective of the marital contract. The internal solution mechanism would be to empower the weaker spouse at the very outset of the marriage: when the marital contract is negotiated. If such negotiation, so the argument goes, would effectively take place, and be conducted in a transparent manner, more equitably balanced contracts would be made. If spouses would not be able to reach agreement, then it be better that no contract nor marriage would be concluded.

Note: Downoadable document is in Dutch.

Keywords: Marital contract, Separation of property, Imperative, Participation mechanism, Negotiation, Gender

JEL Classification: K10, K11, K12

Suggested Citation

Verbeke, Alain-Laurent P. G., Ongelijkheid in Huwelijks - En Samenlevingscontracten (Inequality in Marital Contracts - A Plea for Imperative Rules and Negotiated Approach) (in Dutch) (September 29, 2009). Tijdschrift Estate Planning, pp. 98-117, 2010, Tijdschrift Conflicthantering, No. 8, pp. 21-30, 2009 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1751029

Alain-Laurent P. G. Verbeke (Contact Author)

KU Leuven - Faculty of Law ( email )

Tiensestraat 41
Leuven, B-3000
Belgium
003216325203 (Phone)
003216325296 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.law.kuleuven.be/fvr

Harvard Law School ( email )

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Cambridge, MA 02138
United States
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+16174968775 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.pon.harvard.edu/

KU Leuven - Faculty of Psychology ( email )

Tiensestraat 102
Leuven, 3000
Belgium

HOME PAGE: http://ppw.kuleuven.be/english/wopp/leuven-center-for-collaborative-management

Tilburg Law School

Warandelaan 2
Tilburg, 5037 AB
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.tilburguniversity.edu/research/institutes-and-research-groups/tisco/

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