The Divorce Expert: 86% Of People Who Divorce Remarry! Why Sex Is Causing Divorces!

In this episode, James Sexton, one of America's most prominent divorce lawyers, shares candid insights from his decades of experience handling high-profile and complex divorces. Steven Bartlett explores the surprising statistic that 86% of people who divorce actually remarry, questioning why people continue pursuing the traditional marriage model despite its consistent failure rate.

Sexton discusses the dynamics between wealthy clients and their spouses, introducing the concept of prenuptial agreements as both protective legal tools and revealing indicators of how couples actually view each other. He walks through the mechanics of prenups, including shocking clauses he has witnessed such as weight restrictions and appearance requirements. These details expose a disturbing truth about how some people measure love and commitment through physical characteristics.

A major portion of the conversation centers on sex as a primary cause of divorce. Sexton reveals patterns in his caseload showing that mismatched sexual expectations, frequency desires, and infidelity are among the most common issues leading couples to his office. He discusses gender differences in sexual needs and the frequency of infidelity, noting that deception around sex often becomes a breaking point in marriages.

The episode explores money as another leading cause of divorce, with Sexton sharing stories about hidden assets, lottery winnings kept secret, and financial deception that destroys trust. He explains the legal implications of debt liability in marriages and how financial transparency remains rare despite its importance.

Sexton addresses broader cultural issues, including how social media creates unrealistic relationship expectations. He argues that people compare their real relationships to carefully curated highlights of others' lives, creating dissatisfaction with their own partnerships. This false comparison undermines genuinely good relationships.

The conversation touches on preventative strategies for maintaining marriages, emphasizing communication, managing expectations, and regular reassessment of what both partners need. Sexton also discusses evolving topics like LGBT rights in divorce proceedings and whether open relationships offer a viable alternative to traditional monogamy.

Throughout the episode, Sexton maintains that the core issues destroying marriages are rarely about love itself, but rather about unmet expectations, poor communication, sexual incompatibility, financial dishonesty, and the unrealistic standards modern culture imposes on relationships. He challenges the conventional wisdom that marriage is a permanent institution and suggests that viewing relationships as chapters in life rather than forever commitments might reduce the trauma of dissolution.