Legal Question in Family Law in California

We'd need to know why it didn't get recorded and what the details are of what happened. For example did you get a license at all? Were you married by a person qualified to perform marriages?

However, if you have been married 25 years you're going to need some legal proceeding to unwind any joint accounts, debts, etc. and to divide up property. Whether it's a divorce or another form of action, you have to do something. If your spouse is entitled to support if there's a marriage, you may want to contend there was no marriage. If you would get support you might want to try to have the marriage upheld. With all those complications, you really need to hire a lawyer.