Washington Marriage Laws | § 26.60.010 | Finding. Marriage Laws

Revised Code of Washington 26.60.010

Finding.

Many Washingtonians are in intimate, committed, and exclusive relationships with another person to whom they are not legally married. These relationships are important to the individuals involved and their families; they also benefit the public by providing a private source of mutual support for the financial, physical, and emotional health of those individuals and their families. The public has an interest in providing a legal framework for such mutually supportive relationships, whether the partners are of the same or different sexes, and irrespective of their sexual orientation. The legislature finds that the public interest would be served by extending rights and benefits to couples in which either or both of the partners are at least sixty-two years of age. While these couples are entitled to marry under the state's marriage statutes, some social security and pension laws nevertheless make it impractical for these couples to marry. For this reason, chapter 156, Laws of 2007 specifically allows couples to enter into a state registered domestic partnership if one of the persons is at least sixty-two years of age, the age at which many people choose to retire and are eligible to begin collecting social security and pension benefits. The rights granted to state registered domestic partners in chapter 156, Laws of 2007 will further Washington's interest in promoting family relationships and protecting family members during life crises. Chapter 156, Laws of 2007 does not affect marriage or any other ways in which legal rights and responsibilities between two adults may be created, recognized, or given effect in Washington.

[ 2012 c 3 § 8 (Referendum Measure No. 74, approved November 6, 2012); 2007 c 156 § 1.]

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More Washington Marriage Laws

§ 26.04.020 Prohibited marriages.
§ 26.04.060 Marriage before unauthorized cleric—Effect.
§ 26.04.070 Form of solemnization.
§ 26.04.080 Marriage certificate—Contents.
§ 26.04.090 Certificate for files of county auditor and state registrar of vital statistics—Forms.
§ 26.04.100 Filing and recording—County auditor.
§ 26.04.105 Preservation of copies of applications and licenses—County auditor.
§ 26.04.140 Marriage license.
§ 26.04.110 Penalty for failure to deliver certificates.
§ 26.04.120 Marriage according to religious ritual.
§ 26.04.150 Application for license—May be secured by mail—Execution and acknowledgment.
§ 26.04.160 Application for license—Contents—Oath.
§ 26.04.165 Additional marriage certificate form.
§ 26.04.170 Inspection of applications.
§ 26.04.175 When disclosure of marriage applications and records prohibited.
§ 26.04.180 License—Time limitations as to issuance and use—Notification.
§ 26.04.200 Penalty for violations—1939 c 204.
§ 26.04.220 Retention of license by person solemnizing—Auditor's record.
§ 26.04.240 Penalty for unlawful solemnization—Code 1881.
§ 26.04.250 Penalty for unlawful solemnization—1909 c 249.
§ 26.60.015 Intent.
§ 26.60.020 Definitions
§ 26.60.025 Definition—Domestic partnership.
§ 26.60.040 Registration—Records—Fees.
§ 26.60.060 Domestic partnerships created by subdivisions of the state.
§ 26.60.090 Reciprocity.
§ 26.04.007 Definition—Religious organization.
§ 26.04.900 Construction—Religious organization.
§ 26.60.070 Patient visitation.
§ 26.60.901 Severability—2008 c 6.
§ 26.04.190 Refusal of license—Appeal.
§ 26.04.260 Recognition of a legal union.
§ 26.60.010 Finding.
§ 26.60.030 Requirements.
§ 26.60.100 Application for marriage—Dissolution of partnership by marriage—Automatic merger of partnership into marriage—Legal date of marriage.
§ 26.60.900 Part headings not law—2008 c 6.
§ 26.04.010 Marriage contract—Void marriages—Construction of gender-specific terms—Recognition of solemnization of marriage not required.
§ 26.04.130 Voidable marriages.
§ 26.04.210 Affidavits required for issuance of license—Penalties.
§ 26.04.050 Who may solemnize.