Psycholegal issues in marital conflict

Abstract

Background: Marital conflict and disputes involve many issues to be settled between the couples like finance, health, assets, children, postdivorce securities, etc. The traumatic experiences of separation affect their mental health and the future of their children. Not being conscious of their legal rights and court procedures leads to long court litigation, causing distress and trauma to the couples. Aim: The aim of the article is to find out the level of psycholegal awareness among couples in conflict, approaching forums like police and courts, and to find the difference between the two groups. Materials and Methods: A sample of 30 couples each from court and noncourt forums was taken. The demographic details were taken and a psycholegal checklist was administered. It is a cross-sectional study and exploratory research design was applied. Results: There was a significant difference in legal awareness of couples opting for redressal in the court and those opting for counseling in noncourt resolution centers. Conclusion: The results indicate that a lack of legal awareness among the couples in the two groups may be leading to lengthy litigation.