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Marriage And Divorce


Marriage may be entered into by any two persons, with the following

exceptions: Idiots, lunatics, persons of unsound mind, persons related

by blood or affinity within certain degrees prohibited by law, infants

under the age of consent, which varies in the different States, and all

persons already married and not legally divorced.



The causes for which a divorce may be obtained vary greatly in the

different
States. In South Carolina only fraud and force are recognized

as invalidating the marriage tie, this State having no divorce law. In

the District of Columbia and all the other States with the exception of

Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Virginia, cruelty is a statutory

cause, and desertion in all but New York. In most of the States neglect

is also recognized as a valid cause. Imprisonment for crime is a cause

in all except Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.

Physical inability is a cause in all the States except California,

Connecticut, Idaho, North Dakota and Texas. Intemperance, in all but

Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakotah, Rhode Island,

Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. The time of residence required to

secure a divorce varies from 6 months in Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada and

Texas to 3 to 5 years in Massachusetts. In most States it is one year.

Remarriage is permitted in all the States having divorce laws except

Georgia, and alimony is also provided for in all these States.



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