Due Diligence Checklist
The 'due diligence checklist' below is included in the book "That Bitch: Protect Yourself Against Women with Malicious Intent". Copyright Roy Sheppard and Mary T Cleary. 2007. It may not be reproduced in the media without written permission from the authors.
As soaring divorce rates testify, more than half of all marriages will end in the divorce courts. Traumatic for everyone, its often worse for children.
Therefore it has never been so important for men and women to choose their spouse with a great deal of care.
Being 'in love' with your partner is obviously an important element of your decision to marry, but there are so many other factors that need to be considered before you 'tie the knot'. It's all too easy to get swept away with the emotion and excitement of getting married.
But you need to ask whether you are actually looking forward to a wedding - or a lifetime commitment to each other in a marriage.
There are all sorts of issues you must take seriously before you marry.
Due diligence is a process well known in business. Its all about asking lots of leading (and sometimes difficult questions) about a future business relationship. In business you must know if your future partner is being truthful.And that their objectives are the same as yours. It's no different when it comes to a marriage. In law, marriage is a very serious legally binding partnership. Marry the wrong man, or the wrong woman and you could end up being very badly treated by the legal system.
As a woman, you don't want to be in a relationship where the man doesn't want children, but you do.
As a man, you may not want to marry a woman who turns out like Sir Paul McCartney's ex-wife!
So, whether you are a man or a woman who is thinking about getting married, you have a duty to yourself and to your partner to conduct 'Due Diligence'.
This questionnaire is designed to help you choose the right partner. If your partner is unwilling to sit down and discuss these issues - take that as a warning sign of trouble ahead.
If he or she won't face reality now - expect it to be worse once you're married. Getting married because you think you 'should', or just 'hoping for the best' could be the biggest mistakes you ever make.
The Due Diligence Checklist is comprehensive. Don’t feel compelled to attempt all of it. Just select what is appropriate to you, and don’t even consider doing all of it in one session.
The following is not infallible and should not be used in isolation, but if you discover that your girlfriend or boyfriend is not ticking a significant proportion of the important boxes for you, it could be time to consider seriously that your relationship should end.
Print out two copies - one for you, one for your partner. To download the checklist click here.