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Marriage LawsThe Requirements of MarriageEach state has its own laws regulating marriage. Figure 31.3 summarizesmarriage laws in the different states.Age RequirementsWith exceptions in Mississippi and Nebraska, you can be marriedat age 18 without your parent’s consent. You can be married at a youngerage if a parent or guardian gives permission. In some states, the permissionof the court is also required if you are below a certain age.Example 3. Joseph Klein wanted to marry Krista Ogden, 14.Under Massachusetts law, the couple could marry only if one ofKrista’s parents and the probate court judge gave permission. IfKrista’s parents or the judge denied permission, the couple wouldhave to wait until Krista turned 18 to marry.Marriages between teenagers are more likely to end in divorce. Asa result, the law requires parental permission to prevent minors fromentering into foolish or otherwise unsuitable marriages.Common-Law MarriageIn England, under the common law, people did not need to have aformal ceremony to bind them in wedlock. Instead, they only had toagree between themselves that they were married. No witnesses wererequired, and the agreement could be either oral or written. This informaltype of marriage, called a common-law marriage , came to Americawith the early colonists. Today, 11 states and the District of Columbiastill recognize common-law marriages.With a few exceptions, the states that recognize the common-lawmarriage require the following elements:l The parties must agree, by words in the present tense, that they arehusband and wife.l The parties must cohabit, or live together, for a certain time period,which varies among the states. The parties must represent themselvesas being husband and wife so that the public recognizes theirmarital status. This representation may be accomplished by actionssuch as introducing your partner as your spouse, and by sharing ajoint bank account.l How to describe themarriage laws in yourstate with regard toage requirements,ceremony, medicalexams, and licensel How to differentiatebetween a commonlawmarriage and aceremonial marriageUnderstanding thevarious marriage lawswill make you betterprepared when the timecomes to choose aspouse.l common-law marriagel solemnizel marriage licensel proxy marriageChapter 31: Marriage 681