Editing Common-law marriage (section)

{{Short description|Type of marriage with no formal ceremony}}
{{Family law|marriage}}

'''Common-law marriage''', also known as '''non-ceremonial marriage''',<ref>{{Cite web|title=SSA - POMS: GN 00305.075 - State Laws on Validity of Common-Law Non-Ceremonial Marriages - 01/13/2017|url=https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0200305075|access-date=2020-09-16|website=secure.ssa.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dane|first=Perry|date=April 1, 2014|title=Natural Law, Equality, and Same-Sex Marriage|url=https://digitalcommons.law.buffalo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4465&context=buffalolawreview|journal=Buffalo Law Review|volume=62|pages=291–375}}</ref> '''{{Lang|la|sui iuris}} marriage''', '''informal marriage''', '''de facto marriage''', '''more uxorio''' or '''marriage by habit and repute''', is a marriage that results from the parties' agreement to consider themselves married, followed by [[cohabitation]], rather than through a statutorily defined process. Not all [[jurisdiction]]s permit common law marriage, but will typically respect the validity of such a marriage lawfully entered in another state or country.

The original concept of a "[[Common law|common-law]]" marriage is one considered valid by both partners, but not formally recorded with a state or religious registry, nor celebrated in a formal civil or religious service. In effect, the act of the couple representing themselves to others as being married and organizing their relation as if they were married, means they are married.

The term ''common-law marriage'' (or similar) has wider informal use, often to denote relations that are not legally recognized as marriages. It is often used colloquially or by the media to refer to [[cohabitation|cohabiting couples]], regardless of any legal rights or religious implications involved. This can create confusion in regard to the term and to the legal rights of unmarried partners (in addition to the actual status of the couple referred to).<ref>{{cite web |title='Common law marriage' and cohabitation – Commons Library Standard Note |url=https://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/sn03372 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026130704/http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN03372 |archive-date=26 October 2016 |access-date=16 December 2014 |work=UK Parliament}}</ref>