Legal Question in Family Law in Utah

I was married in Washington state,but when I called vital statistics ffor a certified copy of my marriage certificate they had no record of it.Do I legaly need a divorce?


Asked on 12/01/09, 12:08 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Cory Wall Cory R. Wall, Attorney at Law, P.C.

You should probably check more than one source to determine where your marriage license might be. You should check with the person who performed the marriage ceremony, the county clerk in the county where you were married, and possibly the city clerk in the city where the marriage was solemnized. In any event, if you recall having gotten a marriage license and participating in a marriage ceremony, I would most definitely recommend that you file a divorce action if that's what you're wanting to do. Having a divorce decree can protect you from creditors, the IRS and guarantee your property rights. However, without knowing a lot more about your case, it's difficult to really advise you on this. Also, depending on your circumstances and how long you've been "married", if it is determined that there was no solemnized marriage, you and your spouse may still "qualify" to have your relationship treated as a common law marriage.

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Answered on 12/06/09, 12:16 pm


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