Benefits, rights, and privileges of marriage?

[Carnivale Ed]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

I mean, if nobody is being disadvantaged, why do we need marriage as a legal institution at all? Surely you must agree marriage has some legal advantages if you think it needs to remain as is?

As to why we have and need marriage, see my original post on this thread.

If marriage has some legal advantages, and I'm no expert either, I'll bet they're common-sense advantages based on the nature of the relationship and the higher regard we hold it in as a society. You've yet to offer me a compelling reason why this is unreasonable.

The best example given so far, that illustrates my point, is that of marital privelige. Does it seem reasonable for me to extend this right to my roommmate if I chose? Is it sensible to assume, legally, in the absence of a romantic relationship, that my communications with this person are so highly prized by me that they rise to a level that should be legally protected?

And, to make this example slightly more ridiculous, what's to stop me from naming the chief witness against me in some trial as my 'next-of-kin', to stop them from testifying? That's the other problem with your idea - no acceptance. A marriage must be jointly and freely entered into. Under your proposal, a person can just impose legal obligations on someone without their knowledge or consent (because you can't just take the good of marriage, you also have to take the bad).