Jun

17

Marriage Expansion: Colorado Courts

June 17, 2006 |

In a culture hell bent on legalizing any type of relationship possible it has not only expanded the idea of marriage beyond conservative norms but has also expanded traditional marriage as well. If you are 12 years old and want to get married? Move to Colorado.

A Colorado appeals court ruling makes legal a common law marriage between a 14-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl.

The ruling reverses a lower court finding that a 15-year-old girl was too young for a common law union, the Rocky Mountain News reported Friday.

While not firmly establishing a minimum age, the three-judge panel noted that Colorado recognizes English common law unions, which legalize such marriages at 12 for girls and 14 for boys.

The case came up because of a 34 yr old who began living with a 14 yr old.

The decision involves a Weld County case in which a girl identified only as J.M.H. began living with Willis Lee Rouse in 2002 when she was 14 and he was 34, the newspaper said.

The mother consented to the marriage (is she nuts?) to the man who is now a criminal behind bars (nice guy to marry). A judicial ruling invalidated the marriage until the recent ruling.

The girl had become legally independent by then, but her mother also consented to the marriage. A judge invalidated the marriage, saying anybody under age 16 needed judicial approval for either common-law or ceremonial marriage.

But don’t get your hopes up for too long all you pedophiles. The legislature is determined to stop your rights under common law.

Colorado lawmakers will take up legislation next year to prevent girls as young as 12 and boys as young as 14 from being able to wed under common law….

Family law attorney Mike DiManna thinks it???s not adequate to adjust Colorado???s common-law marriage laws. It???s time to abolish the practice as most states have done.

I am glad to see that something will be done to prevent the exploitation of young boys and girls. But somehow it seems odd that no one, like the ACLU, is fighting for the expansion of ‘loving’ relationships no matter who, what or how old they are. We will be watching for further developments… so stay tuned.

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