What Constitutes Marriage — No Common-Law Marriage After January 1, 1996

TITLE 32 DOMESTIC RELATIONS CHAPTER 2 MARRIAGE — NATURE AND VALIDITY OF MARRIAGE CONTRACT 32-201. What constitutes marriage — No common-law marriage after January 1, 1996. (1) Marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman, to which the consent of parties capable of making it is necessary. Consent alone will not constitute marriage; it must be followed by the issuance of a license and a solemnization as authorized and provided by law. Marriage created by a mutual assumption of marital rights, duties or obligations shall not be recognized as a lawful marriage. (2)  The provisions of subsection (1) of this section requiring the issuance of a license and a solemnization shall not invalidate any marriage contract in effect prior to January 1, 1996, created by consenting parties through a mutual assumption of marital rights, duties or obligations.