Rhode Island Marriage Laws | § 15-1-5

State of Rhode Island General Laws 15-1-5

Bigamous marriages void – Marriage of persons who are mentally incompetent.

A person is prohibited from marrying if such person is: (1) A party to another marriage; or (2) A party to a relationship that provides substantially the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as a marriage whether entered into in this state or another state or jurisdiction and such marriage or relationship has not been finally dissolved, unless the parties to the intended marriage will be the same as the parties to such other marriage or relationship. Any marriage entered in violation of this prohibition and any marriage where either of the parties is mentally incompetent at the time of the marriage, shall be absolutely void, and no life estate created by chapter 25 of title 33 shall be assigned to any surviving spouse in consequence of the marriage.

(G.L. 1896, ch. 191, § 5; G.L. 1909, ch. 243, § 5; G.L. 1923, ch. 287, § 5; P.L. 1927, ch. 1066, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 415, § 5; G.L. 1956, § 15-1-5; P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 19; P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 19; P.L. 2013, ch. 4, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 5, § 1.)

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More Rhode Island Marriage Laws

§ 15-2-14 Minimum age for marriage license
§ 15-1-3 Incestuous marriages void.
§ 15-1-2 Marrying kindred forbidden.
§ 15-1-1 Equal access to marriage.
§ 15-1-6 Declaration of validity of marriage by divorced person.
§ 15-2-1 License required – Proof of divorce – Obligation of clerk to issue license.
§ 15-2-1.1 Statewide electronic marriage license system.
§ 15-2-3.1 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome warning law.
§ 15-2-8 Period of validity of license – Return if unused.
§ 15-2-9 License fee – Presentation of license to person performing ceremony.
§ 15-2-12 Recording of license information.
§ 15-2-13 Registrar in city of Providence.
§ 15-3-6 Marriages after the manner of Friends, according to Jewish rites, or spiritual assembly of Baha'is.
§ 15-3-7 Presentation of marriage license.
§ 15-3-8 Witnesses to ceremony.
§ 15-3-9 Statement of objections to marriage.
§ 15-3-10 Penalty for marriage without license or despite impediment.
§ 15-3-13 Filing of return of marriage.
§ 15-3-14 Neglect of duty by person performing ceremony.
§ 15-3-15 Marriages valid despite irregularities – Penalty for marriage without compliance.
§ 15-3-16 Solemnization of marriage without authority.
§ 15-3-17 Court orders regarding invalid marriages.
§ 15-3.1-1 Definitions.
§ 15-3.1-2 Eligibility.
§ 15-3.1-5 Conscience and religious organizations protected.
§ 15-3.1-6 Benefits, protections, and responsibilities.
§ 15-3.1-7 References and inclusions.
§ 15-3.1-8 Reciprocity.
§ 15-3.1-9 Dissolution of civil unions.
§ 15-3.1-10 Requirement of department of health – Civil unions.
§ 15-3.1-11 Severability.
§ 15-1-4 Marriages of kindred allowed by Jewish religion.
§ 15-1-5 Bigamous marriages void – Marriage of persons who are mentally incompetent.
§ 15-3-11 Knowingly performing bigamous marriage.
§ 15-1-7 Marriage codification.
§ 15-1-8 Recognition of relationships entered into in another state or jurisdiction.
§ 15-1-9 Applicability of state laws to marriages not recognized by federal law.
§ 15-2-7 Form and contents of certificates, reports, and other returns.
§ 15-2-9.1 Additional fee for family and children trust fund.
§ 15-3-6.1 Protection of freedom of religion in marriage.
§ 15-3-5 Officials empowered to join persons in marriage.
§ 15-3-12 Endorsement and return of license.
§ 15-3.1-12 Merger of civil union into marriage by action of the parties.
§ 15-3.1-13 Recognized date of marriage.