Female citizens in partnership are declared to have entered into a business arrangement, and if the partnership is desired to be dissolved, then this should also be undertaken as a business arrangement, and assets property and suchlike divided either by mutual agreement or by order of Court. If the partnership is ended by the death of either partner, then the Last Will and testament of that partner determines the disposal of all that partner's property, assets and slaves.

Free men who have dependant children, remain responsible for those children until their majority in the case of male children, and in the case of female children until they are married, taken as mistress, become citizens, join the military or a temple, or are forced by circumstances into slavery.

Free men who have taken dependant mistresses, and wish to dissolve that partnership may do so, providing they make provision in trust for the mistress to live in the manner she has become accustomed for 3 years. The trust will be managed by trustees appointed by a Court, and at the end of the 3 years, the woman must have found alternate means of support. She can at any point in that 3 year period, withdraw the residue of the trust as starting capital and declare herself a citizen, or instead find another free citizen to enter into a family with, in which case the residue of the trust is used as dowry.

Free men who have a wife, and wish to dissolve that partnership, must seek a Divorce ruling of Court to allow this. The disposition of all property, assets and slaves held by the household being dissolved are to be decided by that Court, with anything awarded to the wife being held in trust for her by trustees appointed by the court. This trust is lifelong, and the trustees must ensure that the woman leaves a valid Will and Testament for the further disposal of the trust after death. If the woman enters into a new partnership as wife or mistress, the trust is her dowry. Equally if she wishes to take citizenship, then the trust is her starting capital, and is released to her own control. It is the duty of the trustees to manage the woman's estate, where possible in line with her wishes, to ensure its continuance, in profit if possible, for as long as the trust remains.

A man who has divorced his wife, may marry any of his mistresses, but may not take another woman as wife while retaining any of his existing mistresses unless all the mistresses give agreement to this, and the wife to be accepts the mistresses as part of her new household.

A free woman who is a mistress may decide at any point to legally quit the household. She may take what clothing she is wearing and what personal assets she can carry, and depart. However, her status in law is that she is still a dependant unless she declares herself a citizen, and she will need to find some means of support to avoid starvation or slavery.

A free woman who is a wife is bound in law to her partner. She may not depart his household unless her life is in danger or she has been subject to rape, in which case a court appointed Lawyer will represent her in both the rape trials and the ensuing Divorce case against her husband.

When a partnership is ended by the death of the male, all property, assets and slaves are placed in lifelong trust for the wife who becomes a widow. The fate of any mistresses is in the gift of the widow.

A female citizen who has taken a wife or mistresses may dissolve the partnership as if she were a male citizen.

© Tim Hart 2003
For further details contact the GM.