Tulsa, OK asked in Family Law for Oklahoma

Q: In a common law marriage in Oklahoma is the wife responsible for medical bills of the husband?

The female partner, 72 years old, has always referred to herself as the "significant other," not as a wife. The male partner is 86 years old and not medically well.

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1 Lawyer Answer
Charles Watts
Charles Watts
Answered
  • OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
  • Licensed in Oklahoma

A: Common Law marriage is a grey area in Oklahoma. If someone tells you that it doesn't exist, then they are wrong. It very much exists, just with some different terminology. There are some things that have to be shown to prove that a non-ceremonial union exist and there are many ways to accomplish this. If this is found to be the case, then the couple are treated the same as any other "married" couple for all intents and purposes. This would include things such as buying marital property, medical bills, retirement accounts, will and estate issues, etc... Therefore, the best thing to do is sit down with an experienced Family Lawyer to discuss your position in depth.

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