Senate Bill 2424

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 93-1-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ELIMINATE THE THREE-DAY WAITING PERIOD TO SECURE A MARRIAGE LICENSE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE REACHED THE AGE OF MAJORITY; TO AMEND SECTION 93-1-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ELIMINATE THE RIGHT OF PROTEST DURING THE THREE-DAY WAITING PERIOD FOR LICENSES NOT REQUIRING A WAITING PERIOD; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 93-1-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

93-1-5. It shall be unlawful for the circuit court clerk to issue a marriage license until the following conditions precedent have been complied with:

(a) Parties desiring a marriage license shall make application therefor in writing to the clerk of the circuit court of any county in the State of Mississippi; provided, however, that if the female applicant shall be under the age of twenty-one (21) years and shall be a resident of the State of Mississippi, said application shall be made to the circuit court clerk of the county of residence of such female applicant. Said application shall be forthwith filed with the circuit court clerk and shall include the names, ages and addresses of the parties applying; the names and addresses of the parents of the parties applying, and if no parents, then names and addresses of the guardian or next of kin; the signatures of witnesses; and any other data which may be required by law or the Mississippi State Board of Health. The application shall be sworn to by both applicants.

(b) If either of the applicants appears from the evidence to be under twenty-one (21) years of age, the application shall remain on file, open to the public, in the office of the circuit court clerk for a period of three (3) days before the clerk is authorized to issue the marriage license. Provided, however, that if satisfactory proof is furnished to the judge of any circuit, chancery or county court that sufficient reasons exist, then the judge of any such court in the judicial district where either of such parties who is under the age of twenty-one (21) resides, may waive the three-day waiting period and by written instrument authorize the clerk of the court to issue the marriage license to the parties if they are otherwise qualified by law. Authorization shall be a part of the confidential files of the clerk of the court, subject to inspection only by written permission of the judge. If either of the applying parties appears from the evidence to be under twenty-one (21) years of age, the circuit court clerk, immediately upon filing the application, shall cause notice of the filing of said application to be sent by prepaid certified mail to the father, mother, guardian or next of kin of both applying parties at the address named in said application.

(c) An affidavit showing the age of both applying parties shall be made by either the father, mother, guardian or next of kin of each of the contracting parties and filed with the clerk of the circuit court along with the application; or in lieu thereof, said both applying parties shall appear in person before the circuit court clerk and make and subscribe an oath in person, which said affidavit shall be attached to and noted on the application for the marriage license. In addition to either of the previous conditions stated, further proof of age shall be presented to the circuit court clerk in the form of either a birth certificate, baptismal record, armed service discharge, armed service identification card, life insurance policy, insurance certificate, school record, driver's license, or other official document evidencing age. Said document substantiating age and date of birth shall be examined by the circuit court clerk before whom application is made, and the circuit court clerk shall retain in his file with the application such document or a certified or photostatic copy thereof.

(d) The clerk shall not issue a marriage license under the provisions of this section unless the male applicant is at least seventeen (17) years of age, and the female is at least fifteen (15) years of age; provided, however, that if satisfactory proof is furnished to the judge of any circuit, chancery or county court that sufficient reasons exist and that said parties desire to be married to each other and that the parents or other person in loco parentis of the person or persons so under age consent thereto, then the judge of any such court in the county where either of such parties resides may waive the minimum age requirement and by written instrument authorize the clerk of the court to issue the marriage license to the parties if they are otherwise qualified by law. Authorization shall be a part of the confidential files of the clerk of the court, subject to inspection only by written permission of the judge.

(e) A medical certificate dated within thirty (30) days prior to the application shall be presented to the circuit court clerk showing that the applicant is free from syphilis, as nearly as can be determined by a blood test performed in a laboratory approved by the State Board of Health. The medical certificate may be obtained through the local health department by the applicant or applicants, or it may be obtained through any private laboratory approved by the State Board of Health. Said medical certificate shall be examined by the circuit court clerk and filed in a permanent file kept by the clerk for this purpose.

(f) In no event shall a license be issued by the circuit court clerk when it appears to the circuit court clerk that the applicants are, or either of them is, drunk, insane or an imbecile.

Any circuit clerk shall be liable under his official bond because of noncompliance with the provisions of this section.

Any circuit court clerk who issues a marriage license without complying with the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) and not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).

SECTION 2. Section 93-1-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

93-1-7. Any interested party shall have the right to contest the issuance of a marriage license, in case either of the applicants is a minor, provided such party files a written protest in the circuit or chancery court of the county wherein the license is being sought, naming as parties the circuit court clerk of such county and the parties to the application. Upon the filing of such written protest, a summons shall be forthwith issued thereon for the parties defendant, except that in the case of the filing thereof in the circuit court, it shall not be necessary to issue a summons for the circuit clerk. No license shall be issued subsequent to the filing of such protest in the circuit court or the service of a summons issued by the chancery court upon the circuit clerk or any of his deputies, except as herein provided. Such protest may be heard upon three (3) days' notice to the parties defendant by the circuit judge or chancellor in termtime or in vacation. If the circuit judge or chancellor shall find that there is a legal impediment to the consummation of such marriage, or * * * that the parties applicant are not of mature discretion or are not capable of assuming the responsibilities of marriage, then he shall enter an order prohibiting the issuance of such license. No marriage license shall be issued to either applicant in any county in this state within one (1) year of the rendition of such order unless such legal impediment has been removed, or, in the case of a minor, without the permission first obtained from the court rendering such order.

If the judge or chancellor shall not make such a finding as hereinabove set forth, then such action shall be dismissed at the cost of the protestant and the clerk shall forthwith issue the license as applied for. The party protesting shall file a cost bond in the sum of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) with good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the clerk of the court in which filed, conditioned as in other civil cases.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2002.