View Full Version : "legally" married after seven years?
lindak0305
Jun 4, 2008, 12:46 PM
If you live with someone for over seven years are you considered "legally" married to that person?
Emland
Jun 4, 2008, 12:49 PM
Some states will consider your relationship a "common law" marriage, but not all.
Sonador101
Jun 4, 2008, 12:54 PM
Well I don't think that's how it works
stinawords
Jun 4, 2008, 02:23 PM
In all the states that I knew of as having a common law marriage law did away with it quite a few years ago. Check with an attorney in your area or tell us what state you are in.
Gem_22205
Jun 4, 2008, 03:34 PM
Heterosexual couples can become legally married without a license or ceremony. This type of marriage is a "common law marriage". It was to be believed that, a common law marriage was created when two people simply live together for a certain number of years. In order to have a valid common law marriage, the couple must do all of the following:
1. Live together for a significant period (not defined in any state)
2. Hold themselves out as a married couple (typically this means using the same last name, referring to the other as "my husband" or "my wife," and filing a joint tax return)
3. Intend to be married.
When a common law marriage exists, the spouses receive the same legal treatment given to a formally married couples, up and to include the requirement that they go through a legal divorce to end the marriage.
ScottGem
Jun 4, 2008, 05:23 PM
Common Law marrieages have been abolished in most all states.
Common Law Marriage FAQ (http://www.nolo.com/article.cfm/objectId/709FAEE4-ABEA-4E17-BA34836388313A3C/catID/3C3AF4CE-DB9E-48C4-8DFCFE2E47C91747/118/304/145/FAQ/)
Fr_Chuck
Jun 4, 2008, 05:25 PM
Most states do not reconise common law marriage in the US any longer
In at least one
States to have a common law you have to go to the court clerk and register your common law marriage for it to be reconsied
Libbers21
Jun 5, 2008, 11:00 AM
If you live with someone for over seven years are you considered "legally" married to that person?
I know in New York... There is no common law marriages but I'm not sure about other states
Gem_22205
Jun 5, 2008, 11:55 AM
Common law marriage also known as “informal marriage” or in legal terms, “marriage by habit and reputeis", is recognized only in the following states:
Alabama
Colorado
District of Columbia
Georgia (if created before 1/1/97)
Idaho (if created before 1/1/96)
Iowa
Kansas
Montana
New Hampshire (for inheritance purposes only)
Ohio (if created before 10/10/91)
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania (if created before 1/1/05)
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Texas
Utah
Each state has different legal aspects to the law that should be examined.