N
nutek
Guest
After being married for 26 years and raising two children, who are now adults, my wife and I have come to a parting of the ways with no present intent to resume the marriage. We maintain open channels of communications mostly revolving around our sons and other minor issues.
We have lived apart for 1 1/2 years and upon agreeing to pursue a divorce, we discovered that the church in New York City where we were married in 1973, never reported the marriage to the State and thus there is no record that we ever were married. All we have is a little prayer book with an informal certificate on the last page signed by the priest, that he performed the ceremony. The department of records in New York confirms that there is nothing in their files.
Under these circumstances, considering that we really thought we were married for 26 years and raised a family, what can we do. Would a simple letter, agreeable to both of us, notarized and witnessed, close the matter? We both currently live in Massashusetts, there is no real state,and no significant assets.
We have lived apart for 1 1/2 years and upon agreeing to pursue a divorce, we discovered that the church in New York City where we were married in 1973, never reported the marriage to the State and thus there is no record that we ever were married. All we have is a little prayer book with an informal certificate on the last page signed by the priest, that he performed the ceremony. The department of records in New York confirms that there is nothing in their files.
Under these circumstances, considering that we really thought we were married for 26 years and raised a family, what can we do. Would a simple letter, agreeable to both of us, notarized and witnessed, close the matter? We both currently live in Massashusetts, there is no real state,and no significant assets.