Wisconsin
Common Law Marriage in Wisconsin: Is It Recognized? (2026)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 18, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 7, 2026. · 2 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Wisconsin abolished common law marriage in 1917. Wis. Stat. section 765.01 defines marriage as a civil contract, Wis. Stat. section 765.05 bars any person from being joined in marriage in Wisconsin until a marriage license has been obtained, and Wis. Stat. section 765.16(1m) makes a licensed, solemnized ceremony the only valid way to contract a marriage in the state. No new common law marriage can be formed in Wisconsin. Wisconsin does, however, recognize a common law marriage that was validly formed in another state before that couple moved to Wisconsin.
Information last verified on June 2, 2026.
Does Wisconsin recognize common law marriage?
Wisconsin does not allow couples to form a common law marriage within the state. Wisconsin abolished common law marriage in 1917. Today, Wis. Stat. section 765.01 defines marriage as a civil contract, Wis. Stat. section 765.05 provides that no person may be joined in marriage within the state until a marriage license has been obtained, and Wis. Stat. section 765.16(1m) provides that marriage may be validly solemnized and contracted in Wisconsin only after a license has been issued and only by the mutual declarations of the two parties made before an authorized officiating person and witnesses. Because abolition occurred over a century ago, there is no practical grandfather class of Wisconsin-formed common law marriages that couples might seek to enforce today. Any claim that a common law marriage was formed in Wisconsin after 1917 has no legal foundation.
The Wisconsin abolition predates similar legislative action in states such as Alabama (2017), South Carolina (2019), and Pennsylvania (2005) by decades. The Wisconsin legislature acted early to require formal marriage ceremonies and licensing as the exclusive pathway to marital status. This has been the law in Wisconsin continuously since 1917.
Why Wisconsin abolished common law marriage
Wisconsin was among the earliest states to eliminate common law marriage formation. The 1917 statutory scheme reflected a legislative determination that formal, documented marriages served important public interests: providing clarity in inheritance matters, protecting surviving spouses, enabling accurate vital-statistics records, and reducing litigation over whether a marriage existed at all.
Wis. Stat. section 765.01 defines marriage as a civil contract requiring the consent of capable parties. Wis. Stat. section 765.05 requires that a marriage license be obtained before any person is joined in marriage in Wisconsin, and Wis. Stat. section 765.16(1m) makes the licensed ceremony the exclusive method of contracting a marriage here. Wis. Stat. section 765.21 makes a marriage contracted in violation of section 765.16 void. Together these provisions make the license and the ceremony mandatory prerequisites. A couple that cohabits in Wisconsin, holds itself out publicly as married, and never obtains a license has not created a legally recognized marriage, regardless of the duration of the relationship or the parties' subjective belief that they are married.
Because Wisconsin abolished common law marriage rather than never recognizing it in the first place, there is a historical cutoff: the 1917 statutory change. A marriage formed in Wisconsin before 1917 under common law principles would, in theory, be valid, but the practical significance is negligible given the passage of time. For all modern purposes, Wisconsin simply does not allow common law marriage formation.
Does Wisconsin recognize a common law marriage from another state?
Yes. Wisconsin gives full legal effect to a common law marriage that was validly formed in another state. This recognition rests on the place-of-celebration rule, under which a marriage valid where it was contracted is treated as valid elsewhere, together with the common law principle of comity, under which courts recognize legal relationships validly created in another jurisdiction. Wisconsin has no statute that generally governs recognition of out-of-state marriages. Its one statutory rule on the subject, Wis. Stat. section 765.04, runs the other way: it voids a marriage contracted in another state by a Wisconsin resident who went there to escape a Wisconsin marriage prohibition.
Practically, this means that a couple who formed a valid common law marriage in Colorado, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Rhode Island, or the District of Columbia, and who later moved to Wisconsin, retains full marital status in Wisconsin. Wisconsin courts and government agencies treat the couple as legally married for purposes of divorce, property division, spousal maintenance, inheritance, and all other legal incidents of marriage.
To invoke Wisconsin recognition, the party asserting the marriage must show that it was valid under the law of the state where it was formed. A couple claiming a Texas informal marriage, for example, must demonstrate that they met the requirements of Texas Family Code section 2.401, including a present agreement to be married, cohabitation in Texas, and representation to others that they were married.
How to prove a common law marriage formed in another state
Because a common law marriage is formed without a license or official certificate, the party asserting the marriage bears the burden of proof. The standard and specific elements vary by the state where the marriage was formed, but courts in Wisconsin evaluating a claimed out-of-state common law marriage typically look at the same categories of evidence.
Evidence courts commonly consider includes:
- Joint federal and state income tax returns filed as married filing jointly or married filing separately
- Joint bank accounts, mortgage documents, lease agreements, or jointly titled real property
- Insurance policies listing the other party as a spouse or dependent
- Statements on government forms, loan applications, or credit applications identifying the relationship as a marriage
- Testimony from family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or clergy who knew the couple as a married pair
- Written correspondence, emails, social media posts, or other records in which the parties referred to each other as husband, wife, or spouse
- Shared surname or documented use of the other partner's last name
- Affidavits signed by both parties acknowledging the marriage
No single item is conclusive. Courts assess the totality of the relationship to determine whether the parties genuinely agreed to be married and held themselves out accordingly, as required by the law of the state where the marriage was allegedly formed.
The 7-year myth
A persistent misconception holds that living together for seven years automatically creates a common law marriage. This is false in every state in the United States. No state, including the states that still allow common law marriage formation, sets a minimum number of years of cohabitation as a requirement or as an automatic trigger for marital status.
In the states that do permit common law marriage, the requirements focus on intent and conduct: a mutual present agreement to be married, cohabitation, and public representation as a married couple. Duration of cohabitation may serve as circumstantial evidence of intent, but no threshold number of years creates a marriage by itself.
In Wisconsin, this point is especially clear because the state abolished common law marriage over a century ago. No period of cohabitation, whether two years or twenty years, creates a marriage in Wisconsin without a license and a proper ceremony.
How a common law marriage ends
A valid common law marriage, wherever it was formed, can only be terminated by a formal legal divorce or the death of a spouse. There is no such thing as a common law divorce or an informal dissolution of a marriage. Walking away from the relationship, separating households, or no longer presenting as a married couple does not end a legal marriage.
This rule has significant practical implications. A person who entered a valid common law marriage in Colorado and later moved to Wisconsin is still legally married under Wisconsin law even if the couple has separated informally. If that person later attempts to marry a new partner in Wisconsin, the second marriage would be void because the first valid marriage subsists. Anyone in that position should get a free case evaluation from a Wisconsin family lawyer on a divorce from the first marriage before marrying again (attorney advertising).
Divorce proceedings to dissolve a common law marriage validly formed in another state proceed in Wisconsin in the same manner as a divorce from a ceremonially solemnized marriage. Wisconsin is a community property state under Chapter 766 of the Wisconsin Statutes, and courts apply the same marital property rules, spousal maintenance standards under Wis. Stat. section 767.56, and procedural requirements that govern any Wisconsin divorce action.
For context on related financial matters, see Wisconsin alimony laws and Wisconsin child support laws.
For a state-by-state comparison of which jurisdictions recognize common law marriage, see Common law marriage by state.
Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about common law marriage recognition in Wisconsin and is not legal advice. Marriage and family law determinations are fact-specific and depend on individual circumstances, including the law of the state where any claimed common law marriage was formed. This information was verified as of June 2, 2026. Consult a licensed Wisconsin family law attorney for advice about your specific situation.
Last updated: June 2, 2026.
More Wisconsin Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wisconsin have common law marriage?
No. Wisconsin abolished common law marriage in 1917. Wis. Stat. section 765.05 bars any person from being joined in marriage in Wisconsin until a marriage license has been obtained, and Wis. Stat. section 765.16(1m) makes a licensed, solemnized ceremony the only valid way to contract a marriage in the state. No amount of cohabitation in Wisconsin after 1917 creates a legal marriage without a license and a proper ceremony.
When did Wisconsin abolish common law marriage?
Wisconsin abolished common law marriage in 1917, by Laws of 1917, ch. 218, sec. 21, a session law the Wisconsin Supreme Court has cited as the abolition. The requirement is codified today in Wis. Stat. section 765.05 and Wis. Stat. section 765.16(1m), with Wis. Stat. section 765.21 voiding a marriage contracted in violation of section 765.16. This was among the earliest state abolitions, predating similar moves by Alabama (2017), Pennsylvania (2005), and South Carolina (2019) by many decades.
What if I formed a common law marriage in another state and then moved to Wisconsin?
Wisconsin will recognize a common law marriage validly formed in another state under the place-of-celebration rule and principles of comity. You retain married status in Wisconsin for purposes of divorce, inheritance, property rights, and spousal support. To end the marriage you would need to file for divorce in Wisconsin or another court with jurisdiction.
Is 7 years of living together a common law marriage in Wisconsin?
No. This is a myth. No state requires a specific number of cohabitation years to create a marriage, and Wisconsin abolished common law marriage formation over a century ago. Cohabiting in Wisconsin for seven years, or any other period, without a license and ceremony does not create a legal marriage.
Can I claim common law marriage rights in Wisconsin after a long-term relationship ends?
Not for a relationship formed in Wisconsin after 1917, because common law marriage formation has been abolished. If the couple lived for a time in a state that does permit common law marriage, it may be possible to assert that a valid marriage was formed there, but this requires satisfying that state's specific legal requirements and presenting evidence to a court.
Do I need a divorce to end a common law marriage recognized in Wisconsin?
Yes, if the common law marriage was validly formed in a state that permits it. A legal marriage, whether ceremonial or common law, can only be dissolved by divorce, annulment, or death. There is no informal dissolution. Failing to obtain a divorce before remarrying can render the second marriage void.
Which states allow common law marriage that Wisconsin would recognize?
As of 2026, the states that still allow formation of new common law marriages include Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma (with some contested recognition), Rhode Island, Texas (called informal marriage), and Utah (which requires a court order). The District of Columbia also recognizes common law marriage. A marriage validly formed in any of those jurisdictions will be recognized in Wisconsin.
Updates
Corrected the Wisconsin statutes cited for the marriage-license requirement to Wis. Stat. sections 765.05 and 765.16(1m), attributed the 1917 abolition to its actual session law, and grounded recognition of out-of-state common law marriages in the place-of-celebration rule and comity rather than the Full Faith and Credit Clause.
Repaired the Wis. Stat. 767.56 source link.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
Corrected four restatements (intro, KeyTakeaways, body, FAQ) that wrongly attributed Wisconsin's license/solemnization requirement to Wis. Stat. § 765.01, which only defines marriage as a civil contract — the license requirement is established by § 765.12, cited correctly elsewhere in the article. Relabeled the § 765.01 Sources entry to match its actual content.
Corrected a remaining misattribution: the marriage-license and solemnization requirements come from Wis. Stat. 765.12, not the civil-contract definition in 765.01.
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Reviewed and approved by an editor
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 765: Marriage
§ 765.16Marriage contract, how made; officiating person.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
(1m) Marriage may be validly solemnized and contracted in this state only after a marriage license has been issued therefor, and only by the mutual declarations of the 2 parties to be joined in marriage that they take each other as husband and wife, made before an authorized officiating person and in the presence of at least 2 competent adult witnesses other than the officiating person. If one of the parties is serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or in forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces, in a reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces, or in the national guard, the presence of only one competent adult witness other than the officiating person is required. The following are authorized to be officiating persons: (a) Any ordained member of the clergy of any religious denomination or society who continues to be an ordained member of the clergy. (b) Any licentiate of a denominational body or an appointee of any bishop serving as the regular member of the clergy of any church of the denomination to which the member of the clergy belongs, if not restrained from so doing by the discipline of the church or denomination.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-07 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Also relied on in: Wisconsin Marriage License Requirements 2026: Fees, 3-Day Wait
§ 765.01A civil contract.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
Marriage, so far as its validity at law is concerned, is a civil contract, to which the consent of the parties capable in law of contracting is essential, and which creates the legal status of husband and wife. NOTE: In Wolf v. Walker, 26 F. Supp. 3d 866 (2014), the U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin declared that “Any Wisconsin statutory provisions, including those in Wisconsin Statutes chapter 765, that limit marriages to a ‘husband’ and a ‘wife,’ are unconstitutional as applied to same-sex couples.” Affirmed. 766 F.3d 648. U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Case No. 14-2526, issued September 4, 2014. See also Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644, 135 S. Ct. 2584, 192 L. Ed. 2d 609 (2015). 765.01 Note
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cited in 2 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2013
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Yer Xiong v. Nhia Lue Xiong (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin 2002, 255 Wis. 2d 693)“…2, 269 , 190 N.W.2d 174 (1971); see also Wis. Stat. § 765.01 . So strong are the presumptions and pu…”
- Patricia Mudlaff v. Joseph McLeod (Wisconsin Supreme Court 2013, 350 Wis. 2d 182)“…f the parties capable in law of contracting is essential." Wis. Stat. § 765.01 (emphasis added). See also Campbell v…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Common Law Marriage by State: Where It's Recognized (2026)
§ 765.12Marriage license, when authorized; corrections; contents.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
(1) (a) If ss. 765.02, 765.05, 765.08, and 765.09 are complied with, and if there is no prohibition against or legal objection to the marriage, the county clerk shall issue a marriage license. With each marriage license the county clerk shall provide information describing the causes and effects of fetal alcohol syndrome and the dangers to a fetus from the mother’s use of cocaine or other drugs during pregnancy. (b) If, after completion of the marriage license application, one of the applicants notifies the clerk in writing that any of the information provided by that applicant for the license is erroneous, the clerk shall notify the other applicant of the correction as soon as reasonably possible. If the marriage license has not been issued, the clerk shall prepare a new license with the correct information entered. If the marriage license has been issued, the clerk shall immediately send a letter of correction to the state registrar to amend the erroneous information.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2014
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Wolf v. Walker (District Court, W.D. Wisconsin 2014, 9 F. Supp. 3d 889)“…nty clerks in Wisconsin issue all marriage licenses, see Wis. Stat. § 765.12 (1), a judgment in plaintiffs’ favor in…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 765.21Unlawful marriages void; validation.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
All marriages hereafter contracted in violation of ss. 765.02, 765.03, 765.04 and 765.16 shall be void, except as provided in ss. 765.22 and 765.23. The parties to any such marriage may validate the marriage by complying with the requirements of ss. 765.02 to 765.24 as follows: (1) At any time, if the marriage is declared void under s. 765.02 or 765.16. (2) No earlier than 6 months after the divorce judgment is granted, if the marriage is declared void under s. 765.03 (2).
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cited in 2 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2013
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Patricia Mudlaff v. Joseph McLeod (Wisconsin Supreme Court 2013, 350 Wis. 2d 182)“…renders him or her incapable of assenting to marriage."); Wis. Stat. § 765.21 (a marriage is void if it is contrac…”
- In RE MARRIAGE OF MEYER v. Meyer (Wisconsin Supreme Court 2000, 239 Wis. 2d 731)“…acted in violation of the statutory requirements are void. Wis. Stat. § 765.21 . Com *757 mon law marriages were aboli…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Wisconsin Annulment Laws: Grounds, Deadlines and How to File (2026)
§ 765.05Marriage license; by whom issued.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
No person may be joined in marriage within this state until a marriage license has been obtained for that purpose from the county clerk of any county in this state. If one of the persons is a nonresident of this state, the nonresident’s part of the application may be completed and sworn to or affirmed before the person authorized to accept marriage license applications in the county and state in which the nonresident resides.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 1992
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Opinion No. Oag 15-92, (1992) (Wisconsin Attorney General Reports 1992, 80 Op. Att'y Gen. 236)“…dence of 30 days. Legislative Council Note — 1959, Wis. Stat. Ann. § 765.05 (West 1981). This history shows that…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 765.04Marriage abroad to circumvent the laws.In force
(1) If any person residing and intending to continue to reside in this state who is disabled or prohibited from contracting marriage under the laws of this state goes into another state or country and there contracts a marriage prohibited or declared void under the laws of this state, such marriage shall be void for all purposes in this state with the same effect as though it had been entered into in this state. (2) Proof that a person contracting a marriage in another jurisdiction was (a) domiciled in this state within 12 months prior to the marriage, and resumed residence in this state within 18 months after the date of departure therefrom, or (b) at all times after departure from this state, and until returning maintained a place of residence within this state, shall be prima facie evidence that at the time such marriage was contracted the person resided and intended to continue to reside in this state.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cited in 2 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2013
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- In the Matter of Estate of Toutant (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin 2001, 247 Wis. 2d 400)“…t was celebrated. This assertion ignores the provisions of Wis. Stat. § 765.04 . Section 765.04 expressly proscribes t…”
- Patricia Mudlaff v. Joseph McLeod (Wisconsin Supreme Court 2013, 350 Wis. 2d 182)“…ths after the judgment of divorce is granted. In addition, Wis. Stat. § 765.04 forbids a marriage when a person who i…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Texas Family Code
§ 2.401PROOF OF INFORMAL MARRIAGEIn forcecited in 24 of our articles
(a) In a judicial, administrative, or other proceeding, the marriage of a man and woman may be proved by evidence that: (1) a declaration of their marriage has been signed as provided by this subchapter; or (2) the man and woman agreed to be married and after the agreement they lived together in this state as husband and wife and there represented to others that they were married. (b) If a proceeding in which a marriage is to be proved as provided by Subsection (a)(2) is not commenced before the second anniversary of the date on which the parties separated and ceased living together, it is rebuttably presumed that the parties did not enter into an agreement to be married. (c) A person under 18 years of age may not: (1) be a party to an informal marriage; or (2) execute a declaration of informal marriage under Section 2.402. (d) A person may not be a party to an informal marriage or execute a declaration of an informal marriage if the person is presently married to a person who is not the other party to the informal marriage or declaration of an informal marriage, as applicable.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-07 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at statutes.capitol.texas.gov
Cited in 98 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Joplin v. Borusheski (2008) applied section 2.401(b): a suit filed over two years after separation raises a rebuttable presumption the parties never agreed to marry, which that proponent did not rebut. In Lan Ngoc Nguyen v. Dinh Duc Nguyen (2011) the 2.401(d) prior-marriage impediment was not proved, and that finding was reversed.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Lan Ngoc Nguyen v. Dinh Duc Nguyen (Texas Court of Appeals, 1st District (Houston) 2011, 355 S.W.3d 82)✓A husband fought his wife's divorce petition by claiming an earlier Vietnamese marriage was an impediment under Section 2.401(d); the court found the proof of that prior marriage factually insufficient and remanded to decide the statute's three informal-marriage elements.
- Assoun v. Gustafson (Court of Appeals of Texas 2016, 493 S.W.3d 156)✓An ex-husband sued to have his former wife declared informally married to her boyfriend, ending his alimony; applying Section 2.401(a), the court affirmed summary judgment for the couple because their sworn denials of any agreement to marry defeated his circumstantial proof.
- Joplin v. Borusheski (Texas Court of Appeals, 5th District (Dallas) 2008, 244 S.W.3d 607)✓A man filed for divorce in 2005 claiming a common-law marriage, more than two years after the couple stopped living together; the court applied Section 2.401(b)'s rebuttable presumption of no agreement to marry and held his testimony failed to rebut it.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Common Law Marriage in Arizona: Is It Recognized? (2026), Common Law Marriage in Delaware: Is It Recognized? (2026), Common Law Marriage in Florida: Is It Recognized? (2026)
Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 767: Actions Affecting The Family
§ 767.56Maintenance.In forcecited in 3 of our articles
(1c) Factors to consider for granting. Upon a judgment of annulment, divorce, or legal separation, or in rendering a judgment in an action under s. 767.001 (1) (g) or (j), the court may grant an order requiring maintenance payments to either party for a limited or indefinite length of time, subject to sub. (2c), after considering all of the following: (a) The length of the marriage. (b) The age and physical and emotional health of the parties. (c) The division of property made under s. 767.61. (d) The educational level of each party at the time of marriage and at the time the action is commenced. (e) The earning capacity of the party seeking maintenance, including educational background, training, employment skills, work experience, length of absence from the job market, custodial responsibilities for children and the time and expense necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to enable the party to find appropriate employment. (f) The feasibility that the party seeking maintenance can become self-supporting at a standard of living reasonably comparable to that enjoyed during the marriage, and, if so, the length of time necessary to achieve this goal.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-07 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cited in 7 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2018
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Marriage of McReath v. McReath (Wisconsin Supreme Court 2011, 335 Wis. 2d 643)“…d, the court considered the statutory factors set forth in Wis. Stat. § 767.56 in deciding whether to award maintenan…”
- Lemke v. Lemke (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin 2012, 343 Wis. 2d 748)“…her family support, is that it ignores the requirement in Wis. Stat. § 767.56 (5) that a divorce court consider the p…”
- In Re the Marriage of Ladwig (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin 2010, 325 Wis. 2d 497)“…d maintenance factors under Wis. Stat. § 767.511 (lm) and Wis. Stat. § 767.56 , respectively. ¶ 9. As to child…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Wisconsin Maintenance (Alimony) Laws: How It Works (2026), Wisconsin Divorce Laws (2026): Grounds, Residency, and Process
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Sources and References
- Wis. Stat. section 765.01, A civil contract(docs.legis.wisconsin.gov)
- Wis. Stat. section 765.12, Marriage license; required(docs.legis.wisconsin.gov)
- Wis. Stat. section 767.56, Maintenance payments(docs.legis.wisconsin.gov)
- U.S. Constitution Art. IV sec. 1 (Full Faith and Credit Clause)(law.cornell.edu)
- Texas Family Code section 2.401, Informal Marriage. Texas Legislature(statutes.capitol.texas.gov).gov
- Colorado Revised Statutes section 14-2-109.5, Common law marriages. Colorado General Assembly(leg.colorado.gov).gov
- Wis. Stat. section 765.05, Marriage license; by whom issued(docs.legis.wisconsin.gov)
- Wis. Stat. section 765.16, Marriage contract, how made; officiating person(docs.legis.wisconsin.gov)
- Wis. Stat. section 765.21, Unlawful marriages void; validation(docs.legis.wisconsin.gov)
- Wis. Stat. section 765.04, Marriage abroad to circumvent the laws(docs.legis.wisconsin.gov)
- Watts v. Watts, 137 Wis. 2d 506 (Wis. 1987) (common law marriages abolished in 1917, Laws of 1917, ch. 218, sec. 21)(courtlistener.com)
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