AZPaul3 writes:
Most states already have these on the books, if you qualify under their statutes as Married by Common Law.
No, actually only 11 states plus D.C. recognize common law marriages. 26 states have repealed their common law statutes and 13 never had it. In those states that have it, all require either an expressed intent to marry, an agreement to marry, or a holding out of one another as spouses to the community. Thus, as long as someone makes it clear that they have no intent to marry and doesn't refer to the other person as their spouse, there will be no common law marriage in any state in the U.S.
{AbE} In addition, length of cohabitation is a factor in only one state, New Hampshire. The length of cohabitation required is only 3 years.
Edited by subbie, : As noted
Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them; and no man ever had a distinct idea of the trinity. It is the mere Abracadabra of the mountebanks calling themselves the priests of Jesus. -- Thomas Jefferson
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and non-believers. -- Barack Obama
We see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat
™ Version 4.2
