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| Why You Need a Marriage License |
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Are you planning to get married soon? If you are, then you probably
know that you must first get a marriage license. The basic purpose of
this document is to prove that you are free to marry. A marriage
license also indicates that you are not already married.
If you were
married, then it states that you are legally divorced and free to
marry. The marriage will be illegal if the person performing the
ceremony on your wedding does not have a copy of this document.
A marriage license can also prove you are not rushing into a marriage because there is a waiting period for the license. You cannot get a license, and then get married two minutes later. The waiting period is enforced in the majority of states in the United States, but there may be a few exceptions. Do you know that a marriage license is also a matter of public record? When you apply for a license, it is usually listed in the newspaper. This is done to make sure that all the information you submitted are true.
This will also allow someone to step forward and challenge your application if you lied about your marital state. A copy of your license will be stored in your county courthouse for an indefinite period of time.
People can also find you through your marriage license. Private investigators can find information about you and your history by going to a courthouse and requesting a copy of your license. This can supply them with your married name if they don’t know what it is, and can guide them to you present location. Your relatives can also use your marriage license if they are trying to put a family tree together. Genealogists use documents and records to find lost ancestors. A license will allow them to find out about who were married and where they lived.
Your marriage license might give them clues that they may have not been able to find otherwise. They may be able to find lists of old licenses online, but they will often have to go to the courthouse to get one.
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