Judge bans hetro couple from marrying.

[Zep]

And having a child isn't such a responsibility?

It is, and that's part of the point. Marriage is not just looking after children.

Clearly the oncoming baby will not be left wanting - there's a close-knit extended family right there. The boy and girl simply didn't demonstrate sufficient ability to take on the responsibility of marriage (they sound thick as bricks, frankly).

However at the end of the year, that issue will be entirely moot. They will turn 18, become legal adults, and new rules will apply.

 

[Damien Evans]

Judge declares that Marriage is not a right for all.

Only in Australia it seems....

What's the problem here? Only people over 18 can get married, she's not, so she can't. How is this even newsworthy?

 

[Bill Thompson]

It kind of makes sense.

"she's old enough to become a mum, yet a magistrate says she's not allowed to marry until she turns 18"

I think the law is designed to keep kids from raising kids. The law is not designed to keep kids from having kids.

It kind of makes sense.

 

[ddt]

Since this couple is so committed to a life long partnership, none of those things will be a problem, even though they cannot marry for a few months yet.
The father will, of course, recognise the child.
The mother will of course not contest custody rights.
Neither will there be any question of his making decisions on medical treatment.
Of course he will leave his cell phone to the child.

I don't think I can argue with that.

Of course all of those issues will also arise when if they eventually divorce.

Are you sure you left in the right conjunction?

The boy and girl simply didn't demonstrate sufficient ability to take on the responsibility of marriage (they sound thick as bricks, frankly).

The boy is a bricklayer, after all.

 

[Zep]

The boy is a bricklayer, after all.

...was I that obvious?

 

[The Fallen Serpent]

...was I that obvious?

The boy is obviously more successful as a pipe layer. He should change professions.

 

[Zep]

The boy is obviously more successful as a pipe layer. He should change professions.

*SNORK*

Bill for cleaning milk out of keyboard coming your way.

 

[JWideman]

I am not very familiar with JW's why is this so true? Why is being married when he baby is born so much more important than being married when the baby is conceived?

A lot of newlywed JW girls have "premature" babies.

 

[Andrew Wiggin]

Must have been one hell of a text message.

Dave

This is why I don't give my mobile number out to just anyone. Some things I just don't want coming up on my screen...

("Wrong number! Wrong number!" is the new "Bad touch! Bad touch!")

A

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

How much do you think her judgment will have improved in the space of that few months? Will it be substantially different than it is now? Will there be a wondrous transformation on her birthday?

Yes, exactly. It's only a few months, so what's the difference? Why not just let them get married now?

She's already pregnant, she's already determined to marry the boy, what difference will making her wait a few months do?

In their way of thinking, getting married because of a pregnancy is doing the right thing and damage control. They want to do the right thing and stop things from being any worse- and someone is preventing them from doing it.

Why didn't the judge grant them an exception? A pregnancy is a clear reason for an exception...in at least several US states, a minor under the established minimum age of marriage can be granted a license to marry by a judge if it is because of a pregnancy.

 

[kerikiwi]

Yes, exactly. It's only a few months, so what's the difference? Why not just let them get married now?

She's already pregnant, she's already determined to marry the boy, what difference will making her wait a few months do?

In their way of thinking, getting married because of a pregnancy is doing the right thing and damage control. They want to do the right thing and stop things from being any worse- and someone is preventing them from doing it.

Why didn't the judge grant them an exception? A pregnancy is a clear reason for an exception...in at least several US states, a minor under the established minimum age of marriage can be granted a license to marry by a judge if it is because of a pregnancy.

One could equally ask, it's only a few months, so why the urgency to do it now?
What difference does waiting a few months make if it is a stable, committed relationship?
How is waiting making anything worse?

 

[Zep]

Yes, exactly. It's only a few months, so what's the difference? Why not just let them get married now?

She's already pregnant, she's already determined to marry the boy, what difference will making her wait a few months do?

In their way of thinking, getting married because of a pregnancy is doing the right thing and damage control. They want to do the right thing and stop things from being any worse- and someone is preventing them from doing it.

Why didn't the judge grant them an exception? A pregnancy is a clear reason for an exception...in at least several US states, a minor under the established minimum age of marriage can be granted a license to marry by a judge if it is because of a pregnancy.

Because in Australia, it's not just enough that they are "in love" and are having a baby that gives teenagers the right to to marry. Below the age of majority, they have to convince a judge that they are indeed mature enough to meet certain legal responsibilities and requirements of marriage.

In many other cases, couples much younger than these two have certainly succeeded. In this case, clearly they were not anywhere near convincing enough. The judge could see the shotgun...

 

[Alan]

The Age of Consent (15 in Australia) is simply recognition that teenagers do it, no matter (or in spite of) their parents wishes.

It's not 15. It's 16 except in Tasmania and South Australia where it is 17. With some exceptions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_o...on_that_applies_to_all_Australian_citizens.29

 

[Nosi]

Won't the baby carry some stigma in his/her religious family for being a bastard? Some regions still have bullying problems for that sorta thing.

 

[Rasmus]

And having a child isn't such a responsibility?

Yes, it is. But the same state that denies them the right to get married is not on record for saying it is a great idea that the girl got pregnant in the first place, is it?

There are a million good reasons to not licence baby-making and to not take children away from their parents just because they do not meet the criteria we'd set if we were about to do such a thing in the first place.

But having a baby and having to live with the consequences and responsibilities that come with it do in no way make a statement about the ability of the couple to meet those responsibilities. having a baby requires that they become very mature very quickly. But it's not a guarantee that they will.

 

[ponderingturtle]

To start, the father will have to separately recognize the child, while when married, he's the legal father. Does that give him custody rights? Does that give him rights to decide on medical treatment for the kid (think it has a congenital condition). Does that give the child the right to inherit should the father die in the interim? And so on and so forth.

The law in your country really hates illegitimate kids I see, or does it just hate fathers who aren't married?

 

[ponderingturtle]

It kind of makes sense.

"she's old enough to become a mum, yet a magistrate says she's not allowed to marry until she turns 18"

I think the law is designed to keep kids from raising kids. The law is not designed to keep kids from having kids.

It kind of makes sense.

How does her martial status impact her abilities to raise kids?

 

[ponderingturtle]

Yes, exactly. It's only a few months, so what's the difference? Why not just let them get married now?

She's already pregnant, she's already determined to marry the boy, what difference will making her wait a few months do?

Look at Bristol and Levi, and think what it would be like if they got married on stage at the RNC convention.

In their way of thinking, getting married because of a pregnancy is doing the right thing and damage control. They want to do the right thing and stop things from being any worse- and someone is preventing them from doing it.

And if it is all because of pressure from her mother and not something they really want what then?

 

[Rasmus]

The law in your country really hates illegitimate kids I see, or does it just hate fathers who aren't married?

Neither. Well, not in this instance, I guess.

The law just defaults to assuming that if you are married to a woman, then her children will be yours as well.

No such default position is possible if you aren't married, however.

(the law is unfair in many places, but this is being worked on afaik. At least the supreme court has ruled that such inequalities are unconstitutional. No child may be treated better or worse depending on wether the parents are married ort not.)

 

[ponderingturtle]

Neither. Well, not in this instance, I guess.

The law just defaults to assuming that if you are married to a woman, then her children will be yours as well.

No such default position is possible if you aren't married, however.

(the law is unfair in many places, but this is being worked on afaik. At least the supreme court has ruled that such inequalities are unconstitutional. No child may be treated better or worse depending on wether the parents are married ort not.)

Except that only children of married people get two parents. In the US all children have a right to support from both parents, and parents both have equal rights over the child.