We probably all dreamed of it as teenagers: running away with your first crush and getting married. And parents have certainly feared that their children will do the same. But for this marriage to be legal in the state of Yellowhammer, certain age requirements must first be met. And this age usually depends on the permission of their parents or not. This is an introduction to the age requirements for marriage in Alabama. Most states have a minimum age of marriage for minors with parental consent, which is between 12 and 17 years old. However, California and Mississippi do not have a minimum age for minors to marry with parental consent. Massachusetts has the lowest minimum age of marriage with parental consent of 14 for boys and 12 for girls. If you live in the state of Alabama and have questions about marriage laws, it may be helpful to contact a local Alabama family law attorney to help you with this process. They can advise you throughout the process and represent you in court in the event of a dispute. (a) On and after 29 August 2019, the only requirement for marriage in that State is that the parties who are otherwise legally entitled to marry marry, as provided for in this section. However, the probate judge continues to collect the registration fee provided for in paragraph (32) of subsection (32) of paragraph (b) of article 12-19-90 for each marriage registered with the probate judge. In addition, at the time of registration of the marriage, the probate judge shall also charge the costs provided for in article 30-6-11, which shall be apportioned in accordance with this section.
(b) The marriage certificate to be issued by the parties shall contain information identifying the parties in accordance with article 22(9A)(6) and the following minimum information: (1) The full legal names of both parties. (2) A notarized affidavit of each party stating: a. L`Affiant is currently not married. b.1. The parent is at least 18 years of age; or 2. The affiliate is at least 16 years of age and under 18 years of age and has the consent of a parent or guardian. c. The affiant has the legal right to enter into a marriage.
The parties are not bound by blood or adoption in such a way that the marriage would violate Article 13A-13-3. e. The affant contracts the marriage voluntarily and of his own free will and not under duress or undue influence. (3) The signatures of the parties. (c) A marriage that satisfies the requirements of this section is valid on the date on which the marriage is entered into by both parties, provided that the affidavits, forms and data are registered in the office of the estate judge within 30 days of the date of signature of the last party in accordance with article 22-9A-17. (d) A civil and independent or religious marriage, marriage, solemn marriage or any other official act or the administration of marriage vows may be performed or performed by the parties by a public official or other person to be chosen by the addressees of the marriage. The State has no requirement for a ceremony or procedure, and whether or not a ceremony or procedure is performed has no legal effect on the validity of the marriage. (e) Affidavits, forms and data shall be filed with the office of the probate judge and shall constitute a record of the marriage of the parties. A copy of the form provided by the Vital Statistics Office is sent by the Estate Judge`s Office to the Vital Statistics Office and forms part of its minutes. (f) This article does not affect other legal aspects of marriage in that State, including but not limited to divorce, spousal maintenance, child custody or child support. g) All requirements for obtaining a marriage certificate from the State of Alabama will be abolished and repealed.
The requirement for a wedding ceremony to celebrate marriage is abolished. h) The Alabama Law Institute, a division of the Legislative Services Agency, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health, is in the process of creating a form to meet the minimum requirements of Law 2019-340. Delaware, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Rhode Island,[21] New York, and New Jersey do not allow underage marriage. Other states allow a minor to marry in the following circumstances: As of August 2019, people who wish to marry in Alabama will no longer be able to apply for a marriage license in district probate court, and courts will no longer issue marriage licenses. Instead, the Alabama Marriage Certificate form must be completed by the couple entering into the marriage and handed over to the Proedger court for registration. Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, and its inhabitants are U.S. citizens. In Puerto Rico, the general age of marriage was 21, as it was the age of majority.
The general age of marriage in Puerto Rico is 21 or 18 years with parental consent. [35] In Guam, the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds can marry with the consent of at least one parent or guardian. [36] In American Samoa, the age of marriage has been 18 for both sexes since September 2018. Previously, the age of marriage for women was 14. [37] American Samoa does not allow marriages to minors. In the District of Columbia, the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds can marry with exceptions. [35] In the United States. Virgin Islands the age of marriage is 14 years for women and 16 years for men. [38] In the Northern Mariana Islands, men must be 18 years of age in order to marry, while women can marry at the age of 16 with the consent of their parents.
[39] The decision to marry is excellent, and state marriage laws may change. You can contact a family law attorney in Alabama if you would like legal assistance in a marriage case. You can also visit FindLaw`s wedding section for more articles and information on the topic. Alabama`s public health vital statistics records specify certain requirements for legal marriage in Alabama. If you are under the age of 18 but at least 16 and have never been married, you can still marry in Alabama with the consent of a parent or guardian. Unfortunately, there are no fairytale marriages without a few legal hurdles that mainly meet the technical requirements of the marriage and get the actual marriage certificate. Alabama residents must apply for a marriage license with a county court clerk and provide full names and identification documents. Note that if one of the parties divorced within 60 days of applying for a marriage certificate, they are not eligible to marry unless they remarry.
Marriage license fees vary from county to county, so check with your local county manager for fee details and additional requirements, as some counties may require you to pay in cash. The consenting parent or guardian must complete page 2 of the marriage certificate form entitled “Affidavit of Consent for the Marriage of a Minor”. For the marriage to be legal, the marriage form completed by the spouses and the affidavit of consent must be submitted together to the Probate Court for registration. The final marriage certificate will be a two-page document. She said it is dangerous and a practice to marry a child before the age of that age. “It has devastating effects, even if a child enters voluntarily,” said Reiss, who escaped an arranged and abusive marriage as an adult. Because in most states you don`t grow up until you`re 18, it`s almost impossible to protect yourself if your parents force you to get married. When you leave the house, you are considered an outlier. If a lawyer helps you, he or she may be charged with kidnapping; If you arrive at a shelter, they may well try to reunite you with your parents. “In most states, you`re not even allowed to file a lawsuit on your own behalf. It`s completely too easy for a child to be forced into marriage,” she added. A resident of a foreign country who meets the eligibility criteria listed on the marriage certificate form and accurately completes the marriage certificate may marry in Alabama.
Persons residing in a foreign country must enter the name of the state, province or territory of the foreign country in the District of residence field on the form and enter the name of the foreign country in the Country of residence field. All 50 states currently allow children under the age of 18 to marry. Some require parental consent, while half have no age limit. Between 2000 and 2015, more than 200,000 children were married across the country, according to data from 38 states and two counties compiled by stakeholders and later released by PBS`s Frontline. This story is part of Ask Alabama, a weekly interaction with our readers where you ask the questions, vote to decide which questions we answer, and then investigate. One reader asks: “Alabama ranks 4th in the states with the most child marriages, often with adults. Why is it legal for children to get married? In May 2001, a bill was introduced in the Alabama Senate to raise the age at which a person can marry from 14 to 16. But during a night filibuster, the law could not be passed. Lawmakers did not want to raise the age, according to a report by the Associated Press of Die Zeit.
“I couldn`t believe there was so much resistance to this,” said former Alabama Rep. John Hilliard (D-Birmingham), who introduced the bill after discovering that children from neighboring states were coming to Alabama to get married.