Q: Spiritual wedding
got married by a rabbi in New Jersey but did not obtain a marriage license.
Is there anything illegal about this for the rabbi performing the ceremony or for the couple having the marriage without the state license in New Jersey?
A:
Hello and thanks for your question! I'll do my best to answer you as fully as I can in this forum. To answer you simply, there is nothing "illegal" in having a religious ceremony for a marriage here in New Jersey. However, your marriage, unless you obtain a marriage license, is not a legal, valid marriage in New Jersey. Your marriage is only religious in nature and is not a legal marriage in the eye of the law.
The consequences of this are that you cannot go to a New Jersey court to get divorced. The courts will not be able to divorce you because you were never "legally" married in the state.
If you need more information about your legal rights or obligations, more information would definitely be needed by an attorney. I would consider having a consultation with a family law attorney to discuss the relationship, custody, parenting time, support, etc. if these issue apply to you. Many firms offer free consults as we do. Hope this was helpful. Regards, Bari.
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