Tennessee Marriage Laws | § 36-3-113

Tennessee Code 36-3-113

Marriage between one man and one woman only legally recognized marital contract. [See Compiler's Note.]

(a) Tennessee's marriage licensing laws reinforce, carry forward, and make explicit the long-standing public policy of this state to recognize the family as essential to social and economic order and the common good and as the fundamental building block of our society. To that end, it is further the public policy of this state that the historical institution and legal contract solemnizing the relationship of one (1) man and one (1) woman shall be the only legally recognized marital contract in this state in order to provide the unique and exclusive rights and privileges to marriage. (b) The legal union in matrimony of only one (1) man and one (1) woman shall be the only recognized marriage in this state. (c) Any policy, law or judicial interpretation that purports to define marriage as anything other than the historical institution and legal contract between one (1) man and one (1) woman is contrary to the public policy of Tennessee. (d) If another state or foreign jurisdiction issues a license for persons to marry, which marriages are prohibited in this state, any such marriage shall be void and unenforceable in this state.

Acts 1996, ch. 1031, § 1.

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More Tennessee Marriage Laws

§ 36-3-106 Consent of parent, guardian, next of kin, agency or custodian — “Parent” defined.
§ 36-3-301 Persons who may solemnize marriages.
§ 36-3-104 Conditions precedent to issuance of license.
§ 36-3-102 Second marriage before dissolution of first prohibited — Effect of absence for five years.
§ 36-3-103 License required — County of issuance.
§ 36-3-101 Prohibited degrees of relationship.
§ 36-3-105 Minimum age of applicant for license.
§ 36-3-109 Issuance of license to drunks, insane persons or imbeciles forbidden.
§ 36-3-110 Contest of issuance.
§ 36-3-111 County clerk violating law — Penalty.
§ 36-3-112 Fraudulently signing or using false documents — Misdemeanor.
§ 36-3-113 Marriage between one man and one woman only legally recognized marital contract. [See Compiler's Note.]
§ 36-3-304 Form of certificate.
§ 36-3-305 Solemnizing marriage between incapable persons — Misdemeanor.
§ 36-3-306 Marriage consummated by ceremony not invalidated by failure to comply with law — Restriction.
§ 36-3-307 Nickname in license does not invalidate marriage.
§ 36-3-308 Marriages during War Between the States validated.
§ 36-3-108 Forced marriage prohibited — Civil action.
§ 36-3-302 Formula not required.
§ 36-3-303 Return of license to clerk — Penalty for failure to return — Society of Friends.