West Virginia Marriage Laws | § 48-2-701 | Premarital Education Encouraged; Requirements. Marriage Laws

West Virginia Code 48-2-701

Premarital education encouraged; requirements.

(a) Persons applying for a marriage license may attend a premarital education course of at least four hours during the twelve months immediately preceding the date of the application for the license. (b) A premarital education course offers instruction involving marital issues which may include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) Conflict management; (2) Communication skills; (3) Managing finances; (4) Child and parenting responsibilities; (5) Extended family roles; and (6) Key components of a successful marriage. (c) Premarital education course instructors must have training in skills-based and research-based marriage preparation curricula. (d) Premarital education courses may be performed by the following: (1) A professional counselor or marriage and family therapist licensed pursuant to article thirty-one, chapter thirty of this code; (2) A social worker licensed pursuant to article thirty, chapter thirty of this code; (3) A psychiatrist who is licensed as a physician pursuant to article three, chapter thirty of this code; (4) A psychologist who is licensed pursuant to article twenty-one, chapter thirty of this code; or (5) An active member of the clergy or his or her designee, including retired clergy, provided that a designee is trained in skills-based and research-based marriage preparation curricula premarital education. (e) The premarital education course curricula must meet the requirements of this section and provide a skills-based and research-based curricula of the following: (1) The National Healthy Marriage Resource Center; (2) A church, spiritual assembly, or religious organization; or (3) Other substantially similar resource. (f) The Department of Health and Human Resources shall maintain an Internet website on which individuals and organizations described in subsection (c) may electronically register with the department to indicate the skills-based and research-based curriculum in which the registrant is trained. (g) The premarital education provider shall furnish each participant, who completes the premarital education required by this section, a certificate of completion.

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More West Virginia Marriage Laws

§ 48-2-504 Failure to endorse and return license; penalties.
§ 48-2-401 Persons authorized to perform marriages.
§ 48-2-402 Qualifications of religious representative for celebrating marriages; registry of persons authorized to perform marriage ceremonies; special revenue fund.
§ 48-2-701 Premarital education encouraged; requirements.
§ 48-2-406 Federal judges authorized to perform marriages.
§ 48-2-702 Marriage education fund.
§ 48-2-101 Necessity of marriage license.
§ 48-2-102 Where an application for a marriage license may be made; when an application may be received and a license issued; application by mail.
§ 48-2-104 Contents of the application for a marriage license.
§ 48-2-105 Execution of the application for a marriage license.
§ 48-2-303 Prohibition against marriage not to include persons related by adoption.
§ 48-2-107 Recording an application for a marriage license.
§ 48-2-201 Form of marriage license.
§ 48-2-202 Endorsement and return of licenses by persons solemnizing marriage; duties of clerk pertaining thereto.
§ 48-2-203 Register of marriages.
§ 48-2-204 Record of marriage celebrated outside of state.
§ 48-2-302 Prohibition against marriage of persons related within certain degrees.
§ 48-2-403 Ritual for ceremony of marriage by a religious representative.
§ 48-2-404 Ritual for ceremony of marriage by a judge or justice.
§ 48-2-405 Record of marriage to be kept by person officiating.
§ 48-2-501 Unlawful acts by clerk of the county commission; penalties.
§ 48-2-502 Issuing marriage license contrary to law; penalty.
§ 48-2-503 Consanguineous marriage; penalty.
§ 48-2-505 Unlawful solicitation of a celebration of marriage.
§ 48-2-601 Belief of parties in lawful marriage validates certain defects.
§ 48-2-602 Marriage out of state to evade law.
§ 48-2-603 Certain acts, records, and proceedings not to be given effect in this state.
§ 48-2-103 Waiting period before issuance of marriage license; issuance of license in case of emergency or extraordinary circumstances.
§ 48-2-106 Proof of age.
§ 48-2-301 Age of consent for marriage; exception.