{"id":351903,"date":"2016-04-04T11:02:42","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:02:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/family\/marriage\/marriage-legal-help.html"},"modified":"2023-06-25T15:55:13","modified_gmt":"2023-06-25T20:55:13","slug":"marriage-legal-help","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage\/marriage-legal-help.html","title":{"rendered":"Marriage Legal Help"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Marriage Legal Help<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/laura-temme-esq\/\">Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            June 25, 2023\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>For some couples embarking on marriage, it makes sense to consult with an attorney. There may be debts, property, or child custody issues at play. You may only need a single attorney consultation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n<p>These resources provide general information about the process of hiring a family lawyer, the most common reasons couples hire attorneys, finding legal counsel in your area, and more.<\/p>\r\n<p>Legal topics related to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage\/are-you-ready-for-marriage-.html\">marriage<\/a>&nbsp;can include:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>State marriage requirements<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage\/can-prenuptial-agreements-help-you.html\">Prenuptial agreements<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>Property rights<\/li>\r\n<li>Getting a marriage license<\/li>\r\n<li>Marriage after divorce<\/li>\r\n<li>Amending a support order before marriage<\/li>\r\n<li>Child custody arrangements<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>If any of these legal issues are waiting for you before your marriage, you need legal advice. Don&#8217;t leap into marriage without resolving problems that could derail your marriage before it begins.<\/p>\r\n<p>Getting Married: Do You Need a Lawyer?<\/p>\r\n<p>Not every marriage needs a family law attorney. You can usually complete the basic court forms, pay the court fees, and get the marriage license without trouble. However, there are situations when professional legal information is essential.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Prenuptial Agreements<\/h3>\r\n<p>A prenuptial agreement, also called a \u201cprenup&quot; or premarital agreement, is a legal document that protects the property of the parties acquired before or during the marriage. For instance, if one person already owns a house, a prenuptial agreement can keep the house in that person&#8217;s name.<\/p>\r\n<p>States have many legal requirements for how to draft a prenup. Parties should not try to write their own. This is an area of law where attorneys may specialize. Check with your family law attorney to find someone who can write a good prenup and explain it carefully.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Prior Marriages<\/h3>\r\n<p>Couples might schedule a marriage ceremony before the divorce process from their last marriage has finished. This is a mistake. There are many steps to concluding a divorce. The parties cannot remarry until the judge signs the divorce decree.<\/p>\r\n<p>Some issues you need to discuss with your attorney include:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Alimony or spousal support.&nbsp;Not all states award spousal support. The receiving or dependent spouse should know that remarriage usually terminates all spousal support. The paying spouse is not so fortunate. They must continue paying alimony for the duration of the court order.<\/li>\r\n<li>Child custody, child support, and visitation.&nbsp;Child custody and support are separate from the dissolution of marriage. Even after terminating alimony, there is no effect on child support. The only way to alter any custody or support order is by showing substantially altered circumstances. Remarriage does not qualify.<\/li>\r\n<li>Out-of-state or unfinalized divorce.&nbsp;In simple or \u201cuncontested&quot; divorces, couples may find it tempting to handle their own divorces without the help of an attorney. This can lead to leaving the final decree unfiled and the parties remaining married without realizing it. You should check with an attorney if you engaged in a self-help style divorce and are unsure if you are divorced. There is a legal process that can correct the error, but you must do it before you remarry.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>So, while you don&#8217;t need a lawyer in most situations, it&#8217;s important to consult with one if you have any doubts or concerns about the legal ramifications of your marriage. For instance, those planning a destination wedding must know whether the marriage will be valid upon return to the United States and whether there are any additional steps.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Common Law Marriage<\/h3>\r\n<p>A small number of jurisdictions still recognize common law marriage. States with common law marriage include Texas, Colorado, and South Carolina.<\/p>\r\n<p>In a common law marriage, the couple does not formally wed. Instead, they live together and \u201chold themselves out&quot; as husband and wife for a statutory period. They still have to go through the divorce process to terminate their marriage.<\/p>\r\n<p>The parties must complete the standard legal documents for a divorce, plus affidavits declaring they were residing as spouses for the statutory period. There may be other requirements under their state laws. Anyone involved in a common-law marriage should consult a family law attorney before entering another marriage.<\/p>\r\n<h2>How To Find and Work With an Attorney<\/h2>\r\n<p>You should speak with an attorney who handles family law cases if you or your fianc\u00e9 have specific legal questions. Most family law attorneys also handle divorce, child custody, spousal support, and child support matters. You also want to ensure the attorney you hire is a good fit; the lawyer who helped your friend may not be right for you.<\/p>\r\n<p>You can begin your search by reviewing FindLaw&#8217;s directory of family law attorneys in your area. It also might be helpful to search your state bar association for more information. The state bar site can tell you if the attorney has had any disciplinary action against them.<\/p>\r\n<p>You can ask at your courthouse or local legal aid office if you need low-cost legal services. Many family law offices have sliding scales or offer pro bono services for couples who need their documents reviewed before marriage.<\/p>\r\n<p>Whatever the legal issue in your marriage, getting aid can help. Marriage is even more important than other civil law cases since it impacts your loved ones and the rest of your life.<\/p>\r\n<p>Click on a link below to learn more about getting legal help with your marriage.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Learn About Legal Marriage Help<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage\/get-legal-help-with-marriage.html\">Get Legal Help With Marriage&nbsp;<\/a>&#8211; Marriage is not just romantic. It is a legal arrangement between two people. It&#8217;s important to ensure each piece of this arrangement is done correctly by getting the legal help you need.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage\/hiring-a-prenup-lawyer.html\">Hiring a Prenup Lawyer&nbsp;<\/a>&#8211; A guide to hiring a lawyer to draft your prenuptial agreement. This section offers several reasons why you may want to create a prenup, including keeping your finances separate and providing for children from previous relationships.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/hirealawyer.html\">Guide to Hiring a Lawyer&nbsp;<\/a>&#8211; This section offers articles and resources to help you find the right legal assistance for you and your marriage. Learn about the right questions to ask, the basics of attorney&#8217;s fees, and more.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/hirealawyer\/attorney-fees-and-agreements\/types-of-legal-fees.html\">Types of Legal Fees&nbsp;<\/a>&#8211; A guide to the different types of attorney&#8217;s fees and fee arrangements, including consultation fees, contingency fees, flat fees, retainer fees, statutory fees, and much more.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>You Don&#8217;t Have To Solve This on Your Own \u2013 Get a Lawyer&#8217;s Help<\/h2>\r\n<p>You may want to find legal help if you have a question about marriage laws in your state or a particular legal dispute. Keeping a marriage together requires trust, patience, communication, and a little luck. You shouldn&#8217;t have to worry about legal issues, too. Get legal help with marriage today from a local&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/family-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">family law attorney<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                 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width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"No\"\n                value=\"no\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">No<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-down\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3423)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M16 0.999995H18.67C19.236 0.989986 19.7859 1.18813 20.2154 1.55681C20.645 1.9255 20.9242 2.43905 21 3V10C20.9242 10.5609 20.645 11.0745 20.2154 11.4432C19.7859 11.8119 19.236 12.01 18.67 12H16M9.00003 14V18C9.00003 18.7956 9.3161 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class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n            <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form\">\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--positive\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Easy to understand\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                        >Easy to understand<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Solved my problem\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                        >Solved my problem<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--negative\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this not helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n                        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Missing Information\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                        >Missing the information I need<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Too complicated\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                        >Too complicated \/ too many steps<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    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          class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\">\n        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debt, child custody issues, and property questions may need an attorney\n\n                <\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\">\n                <p>Get tailored advice and ask questions about getting married.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/family-law\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 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target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Divorce Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div class=\"actionImageCard aem-GridColumn aem-GridColumn--default--12\">\n    <div class=\"fl-image-card\">\n                <div class=\"fl-image-card__content\">\n            <div class=\"action-card-layout\">\n                <h2 class=\"action-card-layout__heading\">\n                    Don&#8217;t Forget About Estate Planning\n                <\/h2>\n                <div class=\"action-card-layout__content fl-text-lg\">\n                    <p>Marriage is an ideal time to create or change your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/estate-planning.html\" title=\"DIY Estate Planning Forms\">estate planning forms<\/a>. Take the time to add new beneficiaries (including your spouse!) to your will. Consider creating a power of attorney to ensure your spouse can access your financial accounts. Also, a health care directive lets your spouse make your medical decisions if you ever become incapacitated.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/estate-planning.html\" class=\"action-card-layout__button fl-button fl-link-button secondary\">\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Start Planning<\/span>\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A guide for couples considering an attorney to help them before their marriage, with links to other resources.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":351882,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2730],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-351903","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-family"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=351903"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351903\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=351903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=351903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=351903"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=351903"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=351903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}