Full question:
I am a 17-year-old resident of Indiana. I have a girlfriend who of the same age. We want to get married. How do we go about doing that?
- Category: Minors
- Date:
- State: Indiana
Answer:
In Indiana, a person below the age of 18 require consent to marry (Burns Ind. Code Ann. § 31-11-2-1) which shall be signed and verified in the presence of the clerk of the circuit court. The persons authorized to give such consent are enumerated in Burns Ind. Code Ann. § 31-11-2-2.Burns Ind. Code Ann. § 31-11-2-1
“Except as provided in section 3 [IC 31-11-2-3] of this chapter, each individual who is less than eighteen (18) years of age must obtain consent under this chapter before the individual may marry.”
Burns Ind. Code Ann. § 31-11-2-2
“(a) A consent to marry under this chapter must be signed and verified in the presence of the clerk of the circuit court by:
(1) both parents, natural or adoptive, of the individual who is less than eighteen (18) years of age;
(2) the legally appointed guardian of the individual;
(3) one (1) parent of the individual if legal custody has been awarded to that parent by a judicial decree; or
(4) one (1) parent if the other parent:
(A) is deceased;
(B) has abandoned the individual who is less than eighteen (18) years of age;
(C) is physically or mentally incompetent to furnish the written consent; or
(D) is an individual whose whereabouts is unknown.
(b) If only one (1) parent signs the consent under subsection (a)(3) or (a)(4), the consent must contain a verified statement of fact that explains why only one (1) parent is required to sign the consent.”
In the given, if the persons are able to get consent per Burns Ind. Code Ann. § 31-11-2-2, they may get married in Indiana.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.
