Although most states set the minimum age of marriage at 18, exceptions in 44 states allow children under 18 to marry, according to Unchained At Last, an organization that advocates for an end to forced marriage and children. The group says 14 states, including North Carolina, currently allow children under the age of 16 to marry. Critics of such a review point out that girls in such unions could be forced into marriages they shouldn`t be in, and often end up in abusive relationships, drop out of school and fall into poverty, another example of the negative experiences these young women blame for health problems for the rest of their lives. But change is slow in North Carolina, where some lawmakers are still convinced that some child marriages are still acceptable. Today, Alaska is the only state whose law explicitly allows marriages as young as 14, according to the group Unchained at Last. In nine states, there is no fixed minimum age, whereas they rely instead on case law or the decisions of a judge. Sawyer sponsored a bill that would have raised the age to 18. Instead, a compromise measure unanimously approved by the Senate and House of Representatives in May would raise the minimum age of marriage to 16 without exception, including pregnancy. And even 16- or 17-year-olds would need parental permission or a ruling from a judge that marriage “is in the best interests of a minor party.” While the North Carolina law is a “step in the right direction,” Reisinger said, he and others hope there will be legislative sessions where criticism of child marriage can lead lawmakers to take even more steps to protect children from such unions. Separate matrimonial property: Property that a spouse owns before marriage (land, stocks, bonds, savings/chequing accounts, retirement accounts, or even a business) is generally considered separate property of that spouse, even after marriage.
Property acquired during marriage is generally considered matrimonial property. When the spouses divorce, the matrimonial property is divided equally between them. Separate property remains the separate property of the respective spouses. One such case, which Reisinger brought up more than once when lawmakers debated child marriages, was that of a 17-year-old girl and a 49-year-old man who came to him seeking a marriage license after the state where they lived refused to give them one where it was against the law. Currently, girls as young as 14 who are pregnant or expect to marry the fathers of babies in North Carolina if they get permission from judges, and boys as young as 14 can also legally marry the mothers of their babies born or unborn if they also receive permission from judges. But under SB35, the minimum age at which a minor could marry would be 16, with children of that age or 17 requiring parental or guardian permission or judicial approval to marry. Morey argues that children who commit crimes at such a young age and have brains that are far from fully developed may have no real criminal intent, a necessary legal element, to secure convictions in many cases. The state is currently one of 13 that allow children under 16 to marry, according to Unchained at Last, a nonprofit that works to end child and forced marriage in the United States. Couples who marry in North Carolina must obtain a marriage license before marriage. If your marriage will take place in North Carolina, you can obtain a marriage certificate from the Registry of Deeds in any county in the state. Typically, both partners must go to the Registry of Deeds office, although some counties allow online submission of applications before going to the office to save time. Applicants for a marriage certificate must pay a fee and complete a form indicating their name, age, marital status and intention to marry.
Couples who wish to marry must obtain a marriage certificate before the ceremony. The marriage ceremony must be solemnized by a recognized official. Both parties must solemnly declare their intention to marry. After the ceremony, at least two witnesses must sign the marriage certificate. The North Carolina Register of Deeds Association helped set up a bipartisan effort to raise the age in North Carolina this legislature. The association urged raising the age of marriage to 18. Only six states prohibit marriage before the age of 18 without exception, according to Unchained at Last. There are two types of marriage ceremonies: religious or civil. A religious ceremony must be performed by an ordained minister. Marriages contracted by ministers of the Church of Universal Life after July 3, 1981, are not valid marriages. Civil marriage is solemnized by a magistrate. Two witnesses must be present at the wedding ceremony.
Once married, the person who performed the wedding ceremony must provide you with a marriage certificate. The certificate must contain the names, addresses, date of marriage, the county that issued the marriage certificate, and the date the license was issued. You can also obtain a copy of your marriage certificate at any time by contacting NC Vital Records at www.vitalrecords.nc.gov or by calling 919-733-3000. The minister or judge who holds the ceremony must sign the marriage certificate you received before the ceremony and put it in the registry of deeds within 10 days of the ceremony.