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Common-law marriages may occur in
some states when individuals agree to reside together as husband and
wife and publicly hold themselves out as husband and wife without a
marriage ceremony and certificate.
Couples in a common-law marriage
have the same rights as other married couples, including the right to
divorce.
Maryland law requires a religious
or civil ceremony to create a valid marriage. Couples cannot live
together in Maryland to create a valid marriage.
However, if a common-law marriage
is established in a foreign jurisdiction which accepts such marriages as
valid, such as the District of Columbia, Maryland will recognize that
marriage as a valid marriage.
For example, if a valid common-law
marriage exists in the District of Columbia and the couple later resides
in Maryland, the foreign common-law marriage will be recognized as a
valid marriage under the laws of Maryland.
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