The laws in every state in the United States require that a person meet a minimum age and mentally competency requirement in order to get married.
For instance, in some states, a person has the right to marry someone of the opposite sex as long as they are at least 18-years-old or, with parental consent, the person can be 16-years-old. There is typically a fee in every state for people applying for a marriage license.
Additionally, in many states, every person is required to apply for a marriage license to get married. The requirements of a marriage license vary in every state, but common requirements of a marriage license include:
- The full names and the sex of the man and the woman;
- The parties’ addresses and county and state or residence;
- The parties’ full ages;
- If either party has been married in the past, the person’s married name, and the date, place and/or court in which the marriage was dissolved or annuled, or the date and place of death of the former spouse;
- If either party is a minor, the name and address of the minor’s parents or guardian;
- Whether the parties are married to each other, and, if so, what that relationship is;
- The address of the bride and groom after the marriage ceremony so that the state registrar can send them their marriage license
- The full names of the parties after marriage (important if the wife is keeping her maiden name) and the parties’ social security numbers or other identifying information;
- Criminal convictions or felonies of one party, with an emphasis often put on domestic abuse violations;
- Any other identifying information that the state asks for.
Those are the basic requirements for getting a marriage license in many states. Additonal requirements can include such things as a required marital eduction program prior to the issuance of hte marital license. Marital education classes are typically short in length and include education on such things as conflict resolution, communication, and reviewing the marital inventory.
As I stated, the law in every state is different, and you should check with your Apple Valley family law lawyer about the specific requirements of your state before you get married.
Additionally, as I discussed in a prior post, many states have enacted laws which state that the right to marry only belong to a man and a woman. Several state courts have struck down such laws as being unconstitutional under the United States Constitution; however, many states have yet to rule on the issue and, therefore, the laws are still enforceable in those states.
