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.
History of Section.
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.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 15-1-5
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant).
- person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6