Legal Question in Family Law in Alabama

Are you considered legally married if you have a wedding ceremony but do not have a marriage certificate? If so can you get out of it and how?


Asked on 3/03/10, 7:24 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

James Coleman Murchison & Howard, LLC

Careful! Alabama is one of the states which recognizes common law marriage. If you participated in a marriage ceremony, intended to be married and you and your bride (or groom)held yourselves out to the community as husband and wife -- all without a marriage license -- you only attempted a ceremonial marriage. That ceremonial mariage may be invalid, but you may still meet the requirements of a common law marriage. If so, only a divorce can end that common law marriage. A common law marriage is just a valid as any other marriage, and can only be dissolved by annulment or divorce. I suggest you seek either an annulment or divorce. If you don't, you will not ever be able to validly marry anyone else ---- because you will already be married!

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Answered on 3/10/10, 1:58 pm


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