Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200812/20081224/article_385679.htm
'Absurd marriage' couple told to divorce
Created: 2008-12-24 1:01:30
Author:Angela Xu
A COUPLE who married to get a local residence registration for their son were told to divorce yesterday.
Judges at the Songjiang District People's Court said it was a purposeful marriage not based on love. The couple had never lived together and an agreement signed between the couple and the man's ex-wife was absurd, they said.
Li Wei, 60, met Tan Xin, a 36-year-old Jiangsu Province native who ran a clothes shop, in 2002. At the time, Li had been married to Wang Qiuwen for 22 years and they had a daughter. Tan was going through a divorce.
Tan became Li's mistress and fell pregnant in January 2006. Li was delighted to learn it was a boy.
To give the infant a legal identity, Li persuaded Wang and Tan to sign an agreement. Li would "divorce" Wang and "marry" Tan to get a local residence registration for the baby and the "marriage" would end in two years. Tan would get a small apartment in Songjiang District.
"It is quite simple. I wanted a son while Tan wanted money," Li told the court.
Tan gave birth to a son in October 2006 and got the apartment Li had promised. But then complications arose.
Wang, who thought the marriage was just based on an agreement, didn't like Li going to Tan's residence. Tan, however, felt she was the legal wife and couldn't bear to live alone.
After the two years had passed, Li asked for a divorce as per the agreement but Tan refused.
"We had lived in harmony and have a son. I don't agree to divorce," Tan told the court.
Li filed for divorce in September.
Since the marriage was just a deal, the court ruled that they should divorce and the child be looked after by his mother. Li was ordered to pay a 1,000-yuan (US$146) alimony a month.
Judges at the Songjiang District People's Court said it was a purposeful marriage not based on love. The couple had never lived together and an agreement signed between the couple and the man's ex-wife was absurd, they said.
Li Wei, 60, met Tan Xin, a 36-year-old Jiangsu Province native who ran a clothes shop, in 2002. At the time, Li had been married to Wang Qiuwen for 22 years and they had a daughter. Tan was going through a divorce.
Tan became Li's mistress and fell pregnant in January 2006. Li was delighted to learn it was a boy.
To give the infant a legal identity, Li persuaded Wang and Tan to sign an agreement. Li would "divorce" Wang and "marry" Tan to get a local residence registration for the baby and the "marriage" would end in two years. Tan would get a small apartment in Songjiang District.
"It is quite simple. I wanted a son while Tan wanted money," Li told the court.
Tan gave birth to a son in October 2006 and got the apartment Li had promised. But then complications arose.
Wang, who thought the marriage was just based on an agreement, didn't like Li going to Tan's residence. Tan, however, felt she was the legal wife and couldn't bear to live alone.
After the two years had passed, Li asked for a divorce as per the agreement but Tan refused.
"We had lived in harmony and have a son. I don't agree to divorce," Tan told the court.
Li filed for divorce in September.
Since the marriage was just a deal, the court ruled that they should divorce and the child be looked after by his mother. Li was ordered to pay a 1,000-yuan (US$146) alimony a month.
Copyright © 2001-2009 Shanghai Daily Publishing House