If a certificate is obtained for marriage but never filed after the ceremony, is the couple legally married?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If a certificate is obtained for marriage but never filed after the ceremony, is the couple legally married?
Is there a need for a legal divorce?
Asked on January 17, 2012 under Family Law, Texas
Answers:
Kelly Broadbent / Broadbent & Taylor
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If you applied for a marriage certificate, and it was never filed, it was not a valid marriage. You should check with the municipality that you applied for your license to make sure that they do not have a valid certificate on file for your marriage.
In Massachusetts, you must provide a certified copy of the marriage certificate to obtain a divorce. Without that certificate, you cannot initiate a case for divorce.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.