A marriage license is a document, issued by a public authority (usually a county clerk), that grants a couple seeking to marry the permission to do so.
The requirements to obtain a marriage license vary by state, but they usually include valid...
marriage
mental cruelty
In the context of law, the term mental cruelty is usually used as a ground for a court to grant a party divorce. Mental cruelty means a course of unprovoked and abusive misconduct towards one’s spouse, causing unendurable humiliation, distress and...
mirror wills
Mirror wills are wills executed by two individuals that contain nearly identical provisions. Most commonly executed by married couples, the contents of each spouse’s will “mirrors” the contents of the other spouse’s will. For example, a married couple’...
misrepresentation
A misrepresentation is a false or misleading statement or a material omission which renders other statements misleading, with intent to deceive. Misrepresentation is one the elements of common law fraud, and other causes of action for fraud, such as...
mutual wills
Mutual wills are wills made by at least two people, usually spouses or otherwise committed couples. As outlined in Murphy v. Glenn, mutual wills are not one will, but two separate wills that are reciprocal, identical, or substantially similar. The...
physical incapacity
Physical incapacity refers to a lack of physical ability sufficient to justify a legal consequence. The term is used across a realm of laws regarding disability, competency, criminal statutes, and marriage laws. The inclusion of the...
polygamy
Polygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse at the same time. Polygamy as a crime originated in the common law, and it is now outlawed in every state. In the United States, polygamy was declared unlawful through the passing of...
pre-dup
“Pre-dup” is an informal term for a kind of prenuptial agreement for couples registering as domestic partners.
[Last updated in December of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team]
premarital agreement
A premarital agreement, also known as a prenuptial agreement or antenuptial agreement, is a contract made by the parties to a marriage prior to the marriage.
The agreement may determine matters such as one party's rights in...
prenuptial agreement
A prenuptial agreement, also known as antenuptial agreement, premarital agreement, or prenup, is a contract entered into prior to marriage setting the terms for separation. In general, provisions that tend to unreasonably encourage divorce or...