Legal Question in Constitutional Law in Minnesota

my fiance and i recently applied for our marraige license, and the fee for ir was $115. at the time i was asked if we attended church and if we had taken classes, in which i responded no. i asked why, and the response i was given was that if i attended chuch and had taken classes before getting married, the fee would only be $40. this to me felt and feels like discrimination and to be quite honest i was personally offended by it. is or is it not the definition of marriage by law, "The legal status, condition, or relationship that results from a contract by which one man and one woman, who have the capacity to enter into such an agreement, mutually promise to live together in the relationship of husband and wife in law for life, or until the legal termination of the relationship." to me, it does not say anywhere that i have to be active in the church or even believe in any religion to get married, so why do i have to pay a larger fee? i am appalled and personally distraut at how i can be charged a larger sum because my beliefs are different than that of the governments. i am a tax paying, good citizen, who loves my country, but feels betrayed because what i believe in may or may not be different. please let me know if i have any standing on this issue, and thank you for taking your time to review my question. and if i entered the wrong type of law, could you please direct me to what type of law or a referral of who to contact on this matter. thank you.


Asked on 4/23/11, 1:01 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

This is the correct area of law, but you are not going to have much of a case. In order to get the reduction you do not necessarily have to attend church and take classes provided by that church. You can also go to classes provided by a person that is licensed to practice marriage and family therapy. See Minn. Stat. s. 517.18; and 148B.33. Thus, the religion aspect is negated.The essence of the law is to have people go to the classes.

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Answered on 4/23/11, 10:03 am


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