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Marriage Statutes in Delaware (1996)

Certain states in recent history have passed same laws affecting the institution of marriage. Following is the current statute for the state of Delaware

Void and voidable marriages.

(a) A marriage is prohibited and void between a person and his or her ancestor. Descendant, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, first cousin or between persons of the same gender.

(b) A marriage is prohibited,and is void from the time its nullity is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction at the instance of the innocent party,if either party thereto is:

(1) A person of any degree of unsoundness of mind;

(2) A patient in a mental hospital,unless such person first files with the clerk of the peace to whom he makes application for a marriage license a certificate signed by the superintendent of the mental hospital in which such person is a patient stating that such person is fit to marry, and unless such person in other respects may lawfully marry;

(3) Venereally diseased or is suffering from any other communicable disease the nature of which is unknown to the other party to the proposed marriage;

(4) An habitual drunkard;

(5) A confirmed user of a narcotic drug;

(6) Divorced,unless a certified copy of the divorce decree (last decree if he has been divorced more than once)or a certificate of such divorce from the clerk of the court granting the divorce is inspected by the clerk of the peace to whom he makes application for a marriage license,and unless such person may in other respects lawfully marry, and, if such decree or certificate cannot be obtained,the Resident Judge of the county where such license is desired or the person designated by the Resident Judge to grant such certificates as may be accepted under this paragraph may grant a certificate of the facts as stated by the applicant and the certificate may,for the purposes of this chapter, be accepted in lieu of a certified copy of a divorce decree;

(7) On probation or parole from any court or institution,unless such person first files with the clerk of the peace to whom he makes application for a marriage license a written consent to his proposed marriage from the chief officer of such court or institution or from someone who is appointed by such officer to give such consent,and unless in other respects the applicant may lawfully marry.

(c) A marriage between paupers is prohibited and is void from the time its nullity is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction at the instance of the innocent party.

(d) A marriage obtained or recognized outside the State between persons prohibited by subsection (a)of this section shall not constitute a legal or valid marriage within the State.

13 Del.Code Ann.�101

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