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Marriage Law Overview

Marriage often serves as the most important relationship in a person's life. In addition to any notion of companionship, a marriage is a legal relationship. The rules around what a given state requires in order to recognize a marriage, as well as what should happen if the marriage goes wrong, can vary in large and small details. Below you can find helpful resources on legal questions often asked about marriage, who owns what when two people marry, and whether a prenuptial agreement is right for you. You can also find basic information on state by state marriage license requirements.

Learn About Marriage Law Overview
  • Marriage FAQs

    Answers to commonly asked questions pertaining to personal property, common law marriage and other marriage law matters.

  • Marriage License Requirements

    Overview of state marriage license requirements, including blood tests and waiting periods.

  • State Marriage License Info

    Links to state government documents and forms pertaining to marriage licenses.

  • Legal Requirements for Marriage

    Answers to commonly asked questions about marriage licenses, gay marriage and other marriage law topics.

  • Who Owns What?

    A primer on marital property, including basics for comon law property states as well as community property states.

  • Prenup Basics

    Overview debunking myths about prenuptial agreements, clarifying what they can do and showing how to create a valid prenup.

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