Clear and convincing evidence of consent to marriage has yet to be presented. This language was subsequently adopted in 2008 by the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals in Brooks v. Sanders (190 pp.3d 357 [Okla.Civ.App.2008]). This judgment stated that “without conjugal impediment suffered by one of the parties to the de facto marriage, a de facto marriage occurs when three events occur: a declaration by the parties of the intention to marry, cohabitation and adherence to oneself towards the community, husband and wife”. The evidence leading to a finding of these events is still before the courts as a whole. In the state of Oklahoma, people who are legally free to marry are of marriageable age and meet all legal requirements to establish marriage. Partners must agree, are not related and must not be in a traditional or customary marriage with another person. Although it does not exist in about 40 states, other states must also recognize this marriage if you obtain a common law marriage in Oklahoma, based on full faith and recognition of the U.S. Constitution. The most important thing to know about a common-law marriage is that once established, the only way to dissolve it is through divorce, just like a regular marriage. It is therefore a true legitimate marriage once it is established. It is only sometimes that it is not really clear if and when it was established, and so we have to go to court to determine these things.

5. Spouses must publicly impersonate husband and wife. Although Oklahoma law § 43-7 “Solemnity of marriages” implies that marriage can only exist through a formal ceremony attested by a judge or religious authority and must be filed with the clerk of the court, the Oklahoma Supreme Court upheld the validity of marriage at common law when it ruled in 2001 in Standefer v. Standefer that a common law marriage is formed. if “the parties` thoughts coincide simultaneously” and factors 2 to 5 are only evidence to be weighed when determining whether a real or reciprocal agreement has been reached between husband and wife. In the case where a marriage is challenged at common law, the party seeking to prove the existence of a common-law marriage bears the burden of proof by means of clear and convincing evidence. What constitutes a common-law marriage has been submitted to the Oklahoma courts since the founding of the state. The elements and determining factors have constantly changed and been differentiated over time to ensure a final common law standard to follow. Prior to the current definition, older cases in Oklahoma indicated that there were five elements that needed to be proven by clear and convincing evidence. In addition to Oklahoma, other states that recognize common-law marriage include: How is a common-law marriage established in Oklahoma? The state of Oklahoma does not provide for palimonia. Palimony is the division of financial assets, liabilities and real estate at the end of a romantic relationship in which the parties involved were not married.

In some States, palimony is imposed after the expiry of a common-law marriage. However, Oklahoma laws state that common-law marriages must follow the same standards and procedures used in a traditional marriage, allowing for the payment of alimony instead of penalties. Third-party websites can provide a convenient solution for obtaining public documents related to marriage. These non-governmental platforms have intuitive search tools that simplify access to one or more documents. However, the availability of materials on third-party websites tends to vary because they are independent of government sources. In order to obtain public marriage certificates, applicants may be required to provide: In cases where one of the spouses died in the marriage, the surviving party may provide their own declaration of conjugal relationship, a declaration of a blood relative of the surviving party, and two statements of blood relatives of the deceased party. The Social Security Administration may also request additional documents such as bank statements, mortgage receipts, etc. How can I divorce if I am in a common-law relationship? The exception to this rule is if the marriage would be contrary to the public policy of the new State, which does not recognize marriage at common law. This exception focuses more on sensitive legal issues associated with common-law marriage, such as consanguinity between the parties.

In some states, first cousins are allowed to marry, while in other states (such as Oklahoma) they are not. Oklahoma`s rule is that if first-degree cousins are not allowed to marry in Oklahoma, they could marry outside the state and their marriage would be recognized upon their return. However, if there were good reasons to know whether a marriage between first-degree cousins constituted a violation of Oklahoma public policy, that relationship could still be prohibited. According to Oklahoma common law guidelines, a common-law marriage is a conjugal relationship between two adults who live together and share responsibilities as a married couple. While state regulations may vary, Oklahoma`s guidelines require common-law marriages to meet the following requirements: It is important that common-law couples who file for divorce do so in court, as this can prevent accidental bigamy. Accidental bigamy can occur when two people are married, decide to separate, and then the husband tries to marry another woman. Since there has never been a divorce of the first wife, the husband will have effectively married two people, which is illegal in the state of Oklahoma. To complicate matters further, when the husband dies, the second wife loses her marital status to the first wife, who receives the legal share of the husband`s estate. Oklahoma common-law couples can file and sign a declaration of common-law marriage before a notary. Couples can also use this document to support the existence of the connection. Couples who have entered into common-law relationships in jurisdictions other than Oklahoma can also apply for affidavits or similar options in states of incorporation.

In Phifer`s Estate (1981 OK CIV APP 21, 629 P.2d 808), the court considered in detail the statements of accountants, office workers and business partners who opposed the alleged marriage and showed by mortgages and signed deeds that the testator did not intend to be married to the claimant. The party seeking the marriage presented undisputed evidence that the deceased had presented her as his wife at certain social and business events, but the court stated, “While this may have been the case, individual cases are not sufficient to establish a community-wide reputation that they were a married couple.” Oklahoma does not provide a deadline for validating common-law relationships. The requirements for establishing a common-law marriage in the State include financial interdependence, cohabitation, age and the right to marry, etc. If, at common law, the marriage was contracted in another State, the union must satisfy the condition of cohabitation in force in the State in which it was formed. Oklahoma recognizes common-law marriages entered into by couples who meet state requirements. The state also recognizes common-law marriages contracted in all other states with supporting laws in accordance with the full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution. Some cities, such as Oklahoma City, allow a common-law couple to file a declaration of common-law marriage as proof of union.

The declaration also qualifies common-law spouses for certain benefit plans available to married persons in the city.