Legal Question in Family Law in Oregon

Re: Common Law Marriage and Oregon law

YOUR QUESTION:

Does Oregon recognize Common Law marriages? If so, what is the length of time a couple needs to cohabitate to constitute a Common Law marriage?

ANSWER:

Oregon law makes no provision for a common law marriage to be established or created in this state, regardless of length of cohabitation.

However, if a common law marriage is validly established in some other state (a state that, unlike Oregon, allows for common law marriages), and the parties then move to Oregon, Oregon will recognize the couple as being married (at least to the same extent as allowed under the law of the state in which the common law marriage was created).

LDG