Can mock wedding give marital rights in non-commonlaw state?

[satre51]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee
I am cohabitating with my girlfriend raising our 3 year old daughter together. She is not comfortable telling people she is not married to the man she's living with who is the father of her daughter. I do not feel this relationship is "forever" but would like to make her feel better while raising our child.

If we do not officially or legally marry but agree to a "mock marriage ceremony" which does not involve an officiator or any legally valid license but does involve exchanging rings for "show", it would make us appear married to others which is all she wants.
Could that backfire on me later?

As in her gaining legal rights to my estate that she doesn't have as the mother of my child?

I understand Tennessee is not a commonlaw state but want to make sure not to push my luck too far...

 

[single317dad]

In a state which does not recognize common law marriage, either you're married or you aren't; there are no rights given to non-married people which are reserved for married people.

In a state which does recognize common law marriage, holding yourselves out to the public as a married couple is one of the major prerequisites for establishing common law marriage.

Just make sure you do not "create" a common law marriage in another state, as your own state may recognize that marriage.

 

[xylene]

Why don't you just get a prenuptial agreement.

 

[Ladyback1]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee
I am cohabitating with my girlfriend raising our 3 year old daughter together. She is not comfortable telling people she is not married to the man she's living with who is the father of her daughter. I do not feel this relationship is "forever" but would like to make her feel better while raising our child.

If we do not officially or legally marry but agree to a "mock marriage ceremony" which does not involve an officiator or any legally valid license but does involve exchanging rings for "show", it would make us appear married to others which is all she wants.
Could that backfire on me later?

As in her gaining legal rights to my estate that she doesn't have as the mother of my child?

I understand Tennessee is not a commonlaw state but want to make sure not to push my luck too far...

Sorry....but I have to ask:

If this is not a forever relationship why in the blue bloody H*ll did you think it was a good idea to procreate???

 

[latigo]

Sorry....but I have to ask:

If this is not a forever relationship why in the blue bloody H*ll did you think it was a good idea to procreate???

BAH!

When the child becomes old enough to comprehend perhaps you should explain to her why it was a bad idea! While proposing that she do away with herself because her parents didn't abide your 19th Century Victorian rules of moral behavior giving her no right to share the planet with precious prissily proper prudes such as you.

 

[Pinkie39]

BAH!

When the child becomes old enough to comprehend perhaps you should explain to her why it was a bad idea! While proposing that she do away with herself because her parents didn't abide your 19th Century Victorian rules of moral behavior giving her no right to share the planet with precious prissily proper prudes such as you.

?? I didn't see anything "prissy" about Ladyback's post. I think her point was that too many people bring children into unstable situations, and give little or no thought to family planning. Having kids as a part of one night stands, affairs, with people they barely know or don't care to be in a long term relationship with. And yes, that hurts the kids, because often it deprives them of a relationship with both parents and leads to the kids growing up in broken homes.

 

[justalayman]

satre51;3322700] She is not comfortable telling people she is not married to the man she's living with who is the father of her daughter.

she probably should have considered that before she hit the sheets with a person she was not married to. On top of that, if she is ashamed of living with you while not being married, she should probably move out.

If we do not officially or legally marry but agree to a "mock marriage ceremony" which does not involve an officiator or any legally valid license but does involve exchanging rings for "show", it would make us appear married to others which is all she wants.

either she is mentally challenged or this really doesn't make a difference since she will still know she is living with a man in a relationship with no marriage.

As in her gaining legal rights to my estate that she doesn't have as the mother of my child?

she has no rights to your estate, either on he own behalf or as the mother of your common child.

Thou art thyself though, not a Montague.
What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O! be some other name:
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name;
And for that name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.

that's a nice way of saying her raising a ******* child while cohabiting with the father without the legality of marriage is not changed by the ruse you suggest.


******* is b.a.s.t.a.r.d

 

[stealth2]

she probably should have considered that before she hit the sheets with a person she was not married to. On top of that, if she is ashamed of living with you while not being married, she should probably move out. (*)

(*) With HER child.

 

[Ladyback1]

BAH!

When the child becomes old enough to comprehend perhaps you should explain to her why it was a bad idea! While proposing that she do away with herself because her parents didn't abide your 19th Century Victorian rules of moral behavior giving her no right to share the planet with precious prissily proper prudes such as you.

*sigh*

It has nothing to do with "Victorian rules", it has to do with common sense.

If person doesn't think a relationship is "forever", then why would that person choose to procreate and raise a child? If it isn't a "forever" relationship, it quickly became on with the birth of a child!

 

[Pinkie39]

she probably should have considered that before she hit the sheets with a person she was not married to. On top of that, if she is ashamed of living with you while not being married, she should probably move out.

either she is mentally challenged or this really doesn't make a difference since she will still know she is living with a man in a relationship with no marriage.



she has no rights to your estate, either on he own behalf or as the mother of your common child.


that's a nice way of saying her raising a ******* child while cohabiting with the father without the legality of marriage is not changed by the ruse you suggest.


******* is b.a.s.t.a.r.d

Plus, what is she going to tell people when she and OP eventually break up? I say eventually, because OP says he doesn't plan to stay with her long term. If she's that concerned about other people's opinions, I imagine she'll be mighty embarrassed having to tell people that the wedding was just a fraud.

 

[ecmst12]

The relationship IS forever since a child is involved. It might not always involve sexual relations or cohabitating, but you are connected to the mother of your child forever. Like it or not.

 

[FarmerJ]

In some circles what you may well want is called a Holy Union , gay couples have had them for many years before laws changed in some states, a holy union can make one partner feel better as far as so called religious issues goes , so can having a cleric perform a marriage ceremony with out a marriage license to be signed, If a clergy person refuses then I suggest they are the one who has the bigger problem and locating a church that has GLBT membership may be your best bet since the minister in that community would be more understanding.