Can my fiance's father stop us from getting married if her mother has already signed?
Full Question:
My fiance is 17 years old. Her parents are divorced and her mother has full custody. We've already been to probate court and gotten through our application and have the license waiting to be signed by the pastor when we are married on May 18th. We are afraid to tell her father because we aren't sure if there's anything he can do legally to stop the wedding. My question is, is there anything he can do to postpone or stop the wedding? We have everything ready to go and signed, just have to have the ceremony. Are we in danger of him screwing it up?
04/24/2007 |
Category: Marriage |
State: Ohio |
#3291
Answer:
The following is a portion of the relevant Ohio statute:
3101.01 Persons who may be joined in marriage - minor to obtain consent.
(A) Male persons of the age of eighteen years, and female persons of the age of sixteen years, not nearer of kin than second cousins, and not having a husband or wife living, may be joined in marriage. A marriage may only be entered into by one man and one woman. A minor shall first obtain the consent of the minor’s parents, surviving parent, parent who is designated the residential parent and legal custodian of the minor by a court of competent jurisdiction, guardian, or any one of the following who has been awarded permanent custody of the minor by a court exercising juvenile jurisdiction:
(1) An adult person;
(2) The department of job and family services or any child welfare organization certified by the department;
(3) A public children services agency.
(B) For the purposes of division (A) of this section, a minor shall not be required to obtain the consent of a parent who resides in a foreign country, has neglected or abandoned the minor for a period of one year or longer immediately preceding the minor’s application for a marriage license, has been adjudged incompetent, is an inmate of a state mental or correctional institution, has been permanently deprived of parental rights and responsibilities for the care of the minor and the right to have the minor live with the parent and to be the legal custodian of the minor by a court exercising juvenile jurisdiction, or has been deprived of parental rights and responsibilities for the care of the minor and the right to have the minor live with the parent and to be the legal custodian of the minor by the appointment of a guardian of the person of the minor by the probate court or by another court of competent jurisdiction.
