Isn't the priest suppose to submit our marraige "license" to the county which has more info about my husband and I, as well as our witnesses signatures, and then he gives us a marraige "certificate" from the church? I was married June 9th, and the county still has not recieved a form from the preist yet. What do I do?
2007-07-29 11:39:25 · 8 answers · asked by january_fowler 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
your priest is being lazy or forgot, or your county is really backed up. you are right. but the county sends you a certificate after recieving the license. sometimes a church gives you a certificate of its own.
2007-07-29 11:46:33 · answer #1 · answered by lily-of-the-valley 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, the religious marriage has nothing to do with the state legal marriage --- entirely independent. You can be married in a church without ever informing the govt (but get no legal govt benefits), and you can have a legal civil marriage without a church ever being involved.
The license is the registration with the state/govt of your marriage. It is govt permission/approval to get the legal benefits that go with being legally married.
The certificate is the piece of paper, like your diploma or birth certificate. It shows that it happened, but it's just documentation of the fact. If the certificate is destroyed, that doesn't make you not married.
The church can issue it's own separate certificate, which the state can use as proof that you have exchanged vows (marriage is a contract -- voluntary agreement is required). But the church certificate is separate and independent from the state-issued certificate.
If the priest does not send in the form, you can go down to your county clerk and do the paperwork yourself you get the govt legal status.
2007-07-29 14:51:36 · answer #2 · answered by coragryph 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, as far as my two marriages went, one in GA. and one in VA, the first in Ga. we received a License to wed from the County we were to be married in so that it would go on file for public record, laws, etc. and then my Uncle who was an Episcopal Rector of his church who married us wrote us out a marriage certificate afterwards which we all three had to sign. The second in VA when I and my new husband married with a J.of the Peace at my apartment with some relatives present and our new 5 mo. old daughter, we still had to go (I think it was either a Thursday or Friday and we married on that Saturday) to the County and file for a marriage license (again, for the legality part publicly) and then we also received a certificate of marriage from the Justice. They are two different pieces of legal paper. I'm pretty sure its like this in most states, even Nevada. If you're not sure, simply call during the week to your local county registrar's office and pose them the question.
Happy bonding!
Mrs. T. Chesterfield, VA
2007-07-29 11:59:47 · answer #3 · answered by bpgagirl22 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A marriage license is issued by the court before you get married and you usually have to pay a small fee to get it. Once that is issued, the person who officiated your ceremony signs the document (as do you and your husband) and then they file it with the court to let them know you did in fact get married. Then the court records are changed to show you are married. You do not get a document issued by the church and in fact the church has to file it w/ the court.
Call the priest and make sure he filed it w/ the court or go on your local court website or vital statistics website and it should show the certificate was received back from the priest verifying you got married. Hope that helps.
2007-07-29 11:46:35 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A marriage license is not the same as a marriage certificate. A license only allows you to get married. A marriage certificate is a "birth" certificate for your marriage and legally establishes the bond. Check with your county office to make sure they have received all of the paperwork and then chase it down.
2007-07-29 11:45:43 · answer #5 · answered by CHARITY G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, actually you get the marriage certificate from the city or state Vital Statistics. A license is the original certificate before the marriage occurs!
I would contact the church, as if he does not file the certificate, and usually it is within a few weeks, you will have never been legally married!
2007-07-29 11:44:53 · answer #6 · answered by cantcu 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i don't know about your jurisdiction so you'll have to ask specific questions of the county offices.
In our case, we received our marriage licence from the government when we filled out their paperwork and our priest signed it after the ceremony. It was then my responsibility to return it to the government offices for recording.
Might it be you and your spouse have omitted a step or two here?
:-)
2007-07-29 11:45:31 · answer #7 · answered by Spock (rhp) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An open marriage is the place the two husband and spouse have permission to have better marital affairs grom their better half. This in lots of cases is an contract for a marriage of convience particularly than a marriage of love.
2016-10-19 07:48:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋