Why Second Marriages Often End in Divorce

Recently, MacKenzie Scott, billionaire philanthropist and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, reportedly filed for divorce from her second husband.

According to The Fresno Bee, Scott, who is one of the world’s richest women, married a high school science teacher named Dan Jewett following her and Bezos’ divorce in 2019. Meaning while her first marriage lasted 25 years, her second was very short-lived. There is no word yet on how this will impact Scott’s fortune or if she and Jewett had a prenuptial agreement in place.

As of this report, Scott nor Jewett had announced a reason for their divorce.

Why Do Second Marriages Fail?

Whether it’s your first, second, or fifth marriage, marriages can fail for all sorts of reasons. There’s so much involved in sharing your life with someone that the chances of your lives fitting together perfectly is virtually impossible. However, what can make it even more difficult the second time around is that you bring more into your second marriage than your first, most notably the good and bad of your previous marriage.

So, if you know the pitfalls you fell into during your prior marriage, how can your second marriage fail? The following are a few common reasons why second marriages often fail:

• Too Soon – In some cases, people are in new relationships as soon as the judge signs their divorce papers. While there is certainly nothing wrong with finding new love, it is sometimes unwise to do it before you have had enough time to heal from your previous relationship. After the initial attraction fades, the person could find themselves in another marriage headed for divorce.
• Attraction – Speaking of attraction, many of us have a type of person that we’re attracted to, and in some cases, the type of person we’re attracted to isn’t good for us. Following the end of their marriage, people can re-enter the dating pool and immediately target people who are just like their former spouse. In many cases, they don’t even realize they’re doing it until it’s too late and they’re filing for another divorce.
• Kids – When a couple shares children, the love they have for their kids can help them stay together longer than they would’ve if they weren’t parents. However, second marriages often introduce stepchildren. Unlike when a couple shares natural children, stepchildren can be a bit of a wildcard when it comes to helping or hurting a second marriage. Stepparents and stepchildren can sometimes struggle to connect with each other and build a healthy and positive relationship. Their lack of connection can sometimes bleed over into the marriage, leading to the couple growing apart and eventually getting divorced.
• Your Ex – Like stepchildren, ex-spouses can be a wildcard when it comes to their impact on their former spouse’s second marriage. In some cases, they are very happy that their ex has gotten remarried because it helps them financially as far as spousal support and child support go. However, in some instances, they still carry a torch for their ex and are jealous of their new marriage. In these cases, ex-spouses can use the family court system to disrupt their former spouse’s new marriage. They will continuously find ways to drag their ex back into court long after their divorce has been finalized just to cause emotional and financial stress to their ex-spouse’s new marriage. This can ultimately result in second marriages cracking under the pressure and ending in divorce.

To learn more about second divorces, or to speak with our experienced divorce attorneys in Fresno, call Arnold Law Group, APC at (559) 900-1263 or contact us online today for a confidential consultation. Our legal team has more than three decades of experience and a history of helping our clients secure the best possible outcomes to their situations.