In each state, the laws regarding marriage, separation, annulment and divorce are slightly different. This means that it is important to understand the exact rules within the state that you are marrying in.
In Oregon, the rules around marriage are heavily focused on the act of consent, as well as the prevention of a person acquiring more than one spouse, and therefore, illegally engaging in polygamy.
What are the marriage consent laws in the state of Oregon?
In Oregon, the age of consent for marriage is set at the age of 18. This means that anyone under the age of 18 is not considered old enough to be able to make the decision to get married, and therefore, he or she cannot give his or her legal consent to it. In addition, a person cannot give his or her legal consent to marriage if he or she does not have a full understanding of what it entails and he or she does not have the mental competence to consent to such an agreement.
When might a marriage become annulled?
A marriage in Oregon could be annulled for many reasons, but one of the most common is when one spouse realizes that he or she entered the marriage based on deception or fraud. This means that they learned after marriage that their spouse had wrongful intentions. For example, they entered the marriage with the purpose of gaining United States citizenship.
Before entering a marriage, it is important that you understand the state laws surrounding marriage, as well as know what federal laws are in place. Similarly, if you would like to have your marriage annulled, an experienced attorney can provide more information.
Source: FindLaw, “Oregon Annulment and Prohibited Marriage Laws,” accessed March 22, 2018