Baltimore & Towson Lawyer Discusses Who Is Allowed To Marry In The State Of Maryland?
Individuals in the state of Maryland and elsewhere throughout the United States often have questions about marriage. Maryland has a number of laws pertaining to marriage, and as your Baltimore and Towson family law attorney will tell you, it is important for those who are considering "jumping the broom" to know as much as possible about their legal rights and options. Before individuals decide to get marry, it is crucial for them to know whether or not they are legally allowed to be married in the first place.
In Maryland, there are some prohibitions when it comes to who can be married. The law strictly prohibits an individual to be married to his or her own child and/or stepchild, grandchild (or your spouse's grandchild), grandparents, parents, siblings, a spouse's parent and/or grandparent, aunts and/or uncles, stepparents, a grandparent's and/or a grandchild's spouse, nieces and/or nephews and a child's spouse. Marriages by proxy are also prohibited in the state of Maryland--both individual must be available to participate in and be present for the marriage ceremony.
The Age Requirement
Under Maryland law, individuals who are under the age of 15 cannot get married. However, when individuals reach 15 years of age, they will be allowed to marry only if they obtain their parents' consent, as well as a doctor's certification that the female who is seeking to be married is either currently pregnant or has already given birth.
Your Baltimore and Towson family law attorney will tell you that anyone who wishes to get married without his or her parent's permission must be at least 18 years of age. If both individuals who are interested in getting married are 16 or 17 years of age, however, and the female is pregnant or has already had a child, they can be married with parental consent and doctor certification.
Same-Sex Marriage
Same-sex marriages are now legal in the state of Maryland. However, such marriages are allowed as long as the law does not prohibit the union in some other way (such as by marrying someone noted on the above-stated list). Same-sex couples should note that if they wish to be legally married, they will need to get a marriage license and have an actual religious or civil ceremony; however, if the couple was married in another state in which it was legally valid, they will not need to remarry, as Maryland will recognize the marriage.
Getting Married Again? Make Sure It's Legal.
If a person wishes to get married again and his or her first spouse is still alive, that individual must ensure to obtain an annulment or an absolute divorce from the spouse before marrying someone else. If a person marries for a second time without properly ending the first marriage, he or she can be subject to prosecution and imprisonment for the offense of bigamy.
If you are interested in getting married and you have questions about whether or not you are allowed to marry your intended mate, contact a Baltimore and Towson family law attorney at The Law Offices of Amar Weisman, LLC, today.
Call (410) 321-4994 For a Free Consultation
Call The Law Offices of Amar S. Weisman at (410) 321-4994 to schedule a Free Consultation. The Purpose of the consultation is to determine whether you want to retain this law firm as your Baltimore County & Harford County Family Lawyer. If you do wish to proceed, then you must pay a retainer. See Our Policy on Fees and Costs. The family firm is located next to The Circuit Court for Baltimore County, at 1018 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204.
