Also known as: certificates of marriage · marriage certificate · marriage certificates
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A form issued by a marriage license clerk to prospective spouses who have completed and signed a marriage application and paid the required fee. The form records the marriage after solemnization and is returned to the clerk for registration.
Chloe Chen and Curtis Cannon completed and signed the marriage application at the county office. Chloe appeared before the clerk and paid the fee. The clerk issued the license along with the certificate of marriage form for use after the ceremony.
Cassandra Cooper and Connor Clark exchanged vows before a judge. The judge filled out the certificate of marriage form with the required details and forwarded it to the clerk. The clerk then registered the marriage in the official records.
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Corinne Cho presented a certified copy of the certificate of marriage to establish her status as a surviving spouse. The document had been properly completed by the officiant and registered with the vital records office after the ceremony.
After the wedding, Alice and Bob obtained a certified copy of their completed certificate of marriage from the clerk. They used the document to prove their marital status when applying for joint health insurance coverage.
Diana and Edward received their certificate of marriage back from the clerk after registration. They relied on the official document to establish their legal marriage when updating government records.
Both parties must complete and sign a marriage application. At least one party must appear before the clerk and pay the license fee. The clerk then issues the license and the certificate form.
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The person who solemnizes the marriage or one of the parties completes the form and forwards it to the clerk for registration.
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No. A facially valid unstayed divorce decree supplies satisfactory proof that a prior marriage has ended. The clerk must issue the license and certificate form even while an appeal remains pending.
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…physician who can prescribe for married patients does not have sufficient skill to protect the health of patients who lack a marriage certificate, or who may be currently divorced, it is illogical to the point of irrationality." 429 F. 2d, at 1401.[^maj-8] Furthermore, we must join the Court of Appeals in noting that not all…