A covenant marriage is a type of marriage that is only available in Arizona, Arkansas, and Louisiana. In a covenant marriage the spouses promise that (1) they will participate in marriage counseling before filing for divorce; (2) agree to a longer waiting period before the divorce can be finalized; and (3) must allege fault grounds for the divorce (cannot seek a divorce on no-fault grounds such as irreconcilable differences).

Laws vary among states that recognize covenant marriages, but in a covenant marriage a spouse seeking a divorce generally must allege fault grounds such as:

• Adultery by the other spouse;

• Commission of a felony by the other spouse and sentence of imprisonment at hard labor or death;

• Abandonment by the other spouse for one year;

• Physical or sexual abuse of the spouse or of a child of either spouse; or

• The spouses have lived separate and apart for two years; or the spouses are judicially or legally separated and have lived separate and apart since the legal separation for (a) one year and six months if there is a minor child or children of the marriage; (b) one year if the separation was granted for abuse of a child of either spouse; or (c) one year in all other cases.

In Minnesota, covenant marriages are not recognized as a distinct form of marriage. Therefore, the regulations that apply to covenant marriages in states like Arizona, Arkansas, and Louisiana do not apply in Minnesota. In Minnesota, couples seeking to marry or divorce follow the standard legal processes without the option for covenant marriage stipulations. Divorce in Minnesota can be sought on no-fault grounds, meaning that spouses can file for divorce citing an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage without needing to prove fault such as adultery or abandonment. While marriage counseling may be beneficial, it is not a legal requirement before filing for divorce in Minnesota. The state's divorce laws are designed to simplify the process and do not require the extended waiting periods or mandatory counseling that are characteristic of covenant marriages.