Is our marriage invalid because we did not have witnesses present for the vows and signing of the license?
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Is our marriage invalid because we did not have witnesses present for the vows and signing of the license?
I got married 7 years ago. My husband and I took our license, went to a magistrate’s home and he performed the ceremony with no witnesses present. The magistrate asked that we fill those names that were witness to our marriage. We have 1 child and I am pregnant with the second. We have lived together for all 7 years as a married couple, filed taxes, presented outrselves as married etc.
Asked on May 11, 2012 under Family Law, Oklahoma
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
Under the laws of all state sin this country, so long as you have a validly issued marriage cetrtificate and you were "married" by a person licensed to do so as in your situation, your marriage is legally valid even though there were no third party witnesses.
The person officiating the ceremony is a witness. The reference to having a witness is a tradition in this country having no legal effect.
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