20世纪60年代末期之后，英美法系国家在离婚理由方面相继实行无过错离婚。“这使得任何一方配偶实际上都有权在任何时候终止婚姻关系。从这一角度来看，婚约不再是缔结永久婚姻关系的约定。”[69]而且，即使离婚，“如果婚姻关系持续短暂，不仅难以获得离婚后的扶养费，而且难以分得婚姻财产。”[70]因此，“如果违反缔结婚姻合同的约定产生的法律后果比违反婚约合同本身产生的法律后果还要严重，则是不正常的。”[71]
注释:
[1] [英]P. M. Bromley and N V lowe, Family Law, London Buttersorths, 1987, p. 19，转引自戴炎辉、戴东雄：《中国亲属法》，三民书局1988年版，第45页。
[2] [美]Nijole V. Benokraitis, Marriages and Families, Prentice-Hall Inc. , 1993, p. 239.
[3] [德]克雷斯蒂安•冯•巴尔：《欧洲比较侵权行为法》(下卷)，焦美华译，法律出版社2001年版，第144-145页。
[4] [德]Ingeborg Schwenzer, Restitution of Benefits in Family Relationships, J. C. B. Mohr( Paul Siebeck) , Tübingen and Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1997, p. 20，转引自胡长清：《中国民法亲属论》，台湾商务印书馆1986年版，第62页。
[5] Short v. Stotts, 58 Ind. 29, Supreme Court of Indiana, November Term, 1877, p. 35.
[6] [德]Dagmar Coester-Waltjen and Michael Coester, Formation of Marriage, J. C. B. Mohr( Paul Siebeck) , Tübingen and Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1997, p. 72.
[7] [加拿大]Law Reform Commission of British Columbia, Report on Breach of Promise of Marriage. August 1983: Chapter 1 ( A) .
[8] [美]Neil G. Williams, What to do with when there' s no “I do”: A model for awarding damages under promissory estoppel, Washington Law Review, Vol. 70 October 1995, p. 1024.
[9] [美]Judith Areen, Family Law: Cases and Materials, The Foundation Press, Inc. , 1992, p. 55.
[10] [英国]Finlay v. Chirney and Another, 20 QB D 494, Court of Appeal, 15 February 1888.
[11] [美]Hiram J. Lewis v. Emma Tapman, 90 Md. 294, Court of Appeals of Maryland, January 9, 1990, p. 296.
[12] [美]Walter O. Weyrauch, Sandford N. Katz and Frances Olsen, Cases and Materials on Family Law, West Publishing Company, 1994, p. 3.
[13]前引9，[美]Judith Areen 书，p. 56.
[14] Cohen v. Sellar, [1926]1 KB 536.
[15] Harvey v. Johnston, ( 1848) 6 C. B. 295, 136 E. R; Bessela v. Stern, ( 1877) 2 C. P. D. 265( C. A. ) ; Skip v. Kelley, ( 1926) 42 T. L. R. 258( J. C. P. C. )
[16] Siveyer v. Allison, [1935]2 K. B. 403.
[17] Spiers v. Hunt, [1908]1 K. B. 720, at 724.
[18] Shaw v. Shaw, [1954]2 Q. B. 429( C. A. ) ; Wild v. Harris, ( 1849) 7 C. B. 999, 137 E. R. 395; Millward v. Littlewood, ( 1850) 5 Ex. 775, 155 E. R. 339.
[19] Atchinson v. Baker, ( 1796) Peake Add. Cas. 103, 124, 170 E. R. 209, 217.
[20] Short v. Stone, ( 1846) 8 Q. B. 358, 115 E. R. 911.
[21] Frost v. Knight, ( 1872) L. R. 7 Exch. 111.
[22] Finlay v. Chirney and Another. 20 QB D 494, Court of Appeal, 15 February 1888; Quirk v. Thomas, [1916]1 KB 516, Court of Appeal.
[23] Millington v. Loring, ( 1880) 6 Q. B. D. 190, Court of Appeal.
[24]前引1，[英]P. M. Bromley 书，p. 19.
[25] Atchinson v. Baker, ( 1796) Peake Add. Cas. 103.
[26]同前引4。
[27]前引8，[美]Neil G. Williams 文，p. 1024.
[28]同前引25。
[29] Hiram J. Lewis v. Emma Tapman, 90 Md. 294, Court of Appeals of Maryland, January 9, 1990, p. 297.
[30]前引8，[美]Neil G. Williams 文，p. 1025.
[31] [德]K•茨威格特、H•克茨：《比较法总论》，潘汉典等译，贵州人民出版社1992年版，397页。
[32] Askew v. Askew, 22 Cal. App. 4th 942, Court of Appeal of California, February 17, 1994, p. 954.
[33] [美]Note: Heartbalm Statutes and Deceit Actions, Michigan Law Review, Vol. 83. , June, 1985, pp. 1773-1774.
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