Please, need immediate advice!

United States
January 10, 2008 1:03am CST
I am thinking about divorcing my husband but then remembered that we may not even be legally married in the USA! We got married in a Sandals resort and received our Jamaican marriage certificate but we never took it to our local courthouse or registered it in America. Are we legally married in the US??
1 person likes this
3 responses
• United States
12 Jan 08
You did not indicate state where you live or got married ! In USA each state has difference marriage law. If you are in New York read the following articles:- To be valid, a marriage ceremony must be performed by any of the individuals specified in Section 11 of the New York State Domestic Relations Law. These include: * the mayor of a city or village; * the former mayor, the city clerk or one of the deputy city clerks of a city of more than one million inhabitants; * a marriage officer appointed by the town or village board or the city common council; * a justice or judge of the following courts: the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern or Western Districts of New York, the New York State Court of Appeals, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court, the New York State Supreme Court, the Court of Claims, the Family Court, a Surrogates Court, the Civil and Criminal Courts of New York City (including Housing judges of the Civil Court) and other courts of record; * a village, town or county justice; * a member of the clergy or minister who has been officially ordained and granted authority to perform marriage ceremonies from a governing church body in accordance with the rules and regulations of the church body; * a member of the clergy or minister who is not authorized by a governing church body but who has been chosen by a spiritual group to preside over their spiritual affairs; * other officiants as specified by Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law. The person performing the ceremony must be registered with the City of New York in order to perform a ceremony within the New York City limits. The officiant does not have to be a resident of New York State. Ship captains are not authorized to perform marriage ceremonies in New York State. If you are in California read the following articles:- PERSONS AUTHORIZE TO SOLEMNIZE MARRIAGE A marriage in the State of California may be solemnized by any of the following who is of the age of 18 years or older (a) A priest, minister, or rabbi of any religious denomination (b) A judge or retired judge, commissioner of civil marriages(county clerk) or retired commissioner of civil marriages, commissioner or retired commissioner, or assistant commissioner of a court of record in this state. (c) A judge or magistrate who has resigned from office. (e) A legislator or constitutional officer of this state or a member of Congress who represents a district within this state, while that person holds office. CIVIL MARRIAGE REGISTRATION AND CERTIFICATE * For registration of the marriage the groom and bride having the eligibility criteria may approach 1. the Commissioner or 2. Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages in the offices of the Registrar-Recorder 3. County Clerk with the requisite form prescribed by the State Department of Health Services followed by an affidavit by the applicants that they have received the brochure issued by the Department. * The Marriage can be solemnized after obtaining a Marriage License, which is valid for 90 days. * While applying for the license the bride and groom should obtain the form for certificate of registry of marriage and fill out the form in presence of the County clerk. * The applicants after filling the requisite column shall authenticate the same by the solemnizing authority * the solemnizing authority shall cause to be entered on the certificate of registry the signature and address of one witness to the marriage ceremony. * the person solemnizing the marriage shall return the certificate of registry to the county recorder of the county in which the license was issued within 10 days after the ceremony. CONFIDENTIAL MARRIAGE 1. A marriage can be made confidential and can be solemnized by either of the solemnizing authorities after obtaining a License from the office of the county clerk or the registrar. 2. A marriage cannot be made confidential for persons below the age of 18 years. 3. In this kind of marriages there is no need of any witness. 4. The bride and groom must present the license to the marriage solemnizing authority. 5. After the ceremony is over the applicants shall fill the confidential marriage certificate form and get authenticated by the solemnizing authority and then returned to the same registrar's office within 10 days. 6. Thereafter the bride and groom can apply for the certified copy of marriage at the registrar or county clerk's office where they had submitted the marriage certificate form. for more information visit this website: http://usmarriagelaws.com/
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
12 Jan 08
I would suggest calling a lawyer and maybe your local court house's clerks office. I wish I was in that position. I've been trying to get divorced for over 7 years. Good Luck.
@Ohara_1983 (4117)
• Kuwait
11 Jan 08
yes you do, in the name of almighty god, his your husband not only in the front of the people bt in our almighty god.