Marriage at this age??? Hmmmmm....

[justnmary]

I just read this on comcast news, and I wanted to share....in my opinion it's not right but I just couldn't believe this. I'm cool with common law marriage, but not at the ages they're talking. They're still babies!!!


DENVER - A 15-year-old girl can enter into a common-law marriage in Colorado, and younger girls and boys possibly can, too, a state appeals court ruled Thursday.

While the three-judge panel stopped short of setting a specific minimum age for such marriages, it said they could be legal for girls at 12 and boys at 14 under English common law, which Colorado recognizes.

The ruling overturned a lower-court judge's decision that a girl, now older than 18, was too young to marry at 15.

The panel said there was no clear legislative or statutory guidance on common-law marriages, and that Colorado courts have not determined an age of consent.

For traditional ceremonial marriage, Colorado law sets the minimum age at 18, or 16 with parental or judicial approval.

Colorado is one of 10 states, plus the District of Columbia, that recognize common-law marriage, which is based on English law dating back hundreds of years.

"It appears that Colorado has adopted the common-law age of consent for marriage as 14 for a male and 12 for a female, which existed under English common law," the ruling said. "Nevertheless, we need only hold here that a 15-year-old female may enter into a valid common-law marriage."

The appeal was filed by Willis Rouse, 38, who is serving time for escape and a parole violation. He argued that he and the girl began living together in April 2002 and applied for a marriage license a year later.

The girl had become legally independent by then, but her mother also consented to the marriage and accompanied the girl and Rouse to obtain a license, the ruling said.

A judge invalidated the marriage, saying anybody under age 16 needed judicial approval for either common-law or ceremonial marriage.

While Thursday's ruling found that the girl was old enough to marry, it did not conclude whether she and Rouse have a valid marriage. The court sent the case back to the trial judge to make that determination.

[Kim&Bob2004]

12 yrs old? Holy smokes I didn't even have my monthly visit from AF at 12! They're little girls still, and how is a boy at 14 suppose to be ready for a commited relationship????? They haven't even started shaving yet!

[PlanetClaire]

That is downright ridiculous!!

[TheaterDiva1]

What kind of parents would agree to that anyway?

[whiddle]

WTF?

[feb-bride]

That's ridiculous. How on EARTH could a 12-year-old GIRL and 14-year-old BOY be able to enter into a commitment like marriage? They can't even drive cars yet!

[Heather]

Originally Posted by TheaterDiva1

What kind of parents would agree to that anyway?

That was my thought. If you can't drive yourself to get a marriage license, you shouldn't be getting one at all.

[ljeagle]

[Sh@ks18]

wow thats crazy!

these days, i cant even find a guy in his 20's thats ready to commit

[kenzies_mama]

It used to be in MO that you could get married at the age of 13 or 14 without parental consent if the girl was pregnant(this was in a Missouri history book in HS as being the law at that time, I remember thinking how crazy it was). They've changed it now that no one with or without parental consent can get married under the age of 16 without a court order.

[breezy]

^%%$##@*&!$

Yikes, our oldest will be 12 in Sept... that's downright scary!!!!

[Kim&Bob2004]

You know the scary part, I have talked to people that really believe girls should marry in their teens like that. Course most of these people are single men in their 30's, 40's and 50's. They are sickos! They can't find a woman their age that is an adult so they think they can "mold" a younger girl that can't even get her drivers license yet! I was at a church camp one year and heard this....... I turned around to a set of parents with a teenage son that was agreeing with some man saying this and said, "would you feel the same way if I said I wanted to marry your 13 or 14 yr old son?" They were aghast! EXCUSE ME, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

WHAT'S UP?

And Bob was telling me that on the way to work this morning they were talking about some man on the radio that was into multiple wives that was marrying 12 yr olds legally and living in Mexico with them but coming back and forth to the states for supplies........ Did anyone else here about this? He was talking to me as he was listening so maybe I have it wrong....... but anyways..... sickos! What kind of appeal does a little girl of 12 even hold for marriage? Sounds like its a weak cover for child molestation..... that's just my though.

[DragonYoga]

I can see why it would be an ancient law in England, people died so early back then, and grew up fast then, too. Pretty much didn't have a childhood. But now? No! If I had a 12 year old daughter and someone wanted to marry her, I'd ask her if she wanted to be married to someone that would look like George Bush Sr. before she turned 21... and tell him to get the heck out before her daddy found where he put the shotgun.

[sandals345]

12 and 14...thats crazy. i'm pretty sure i was still of the "boys have cooties" mindset at 12.

i don't even think you can get working papers at 14, much less at 12! isn't it 15 in most states?

[breezy]

Our oldest will be 12 in the fall... she hasn't started her menstral cycle... but can get married.

This thread weirds me out!!!

[Complicated Woman]

That's so nutty. I really think this is just going to protect pedophiles in CO.

[clairon13]

protecting pedophiles... THAT is terrifying!!!! but i can already see the loopholes! <shiver>

[Kim&Bob2004]

Originally Posted by Complicated Woman

That's so nutty. I really think this is just going to protect pedophiles in CO.

My thoughts exactly.

[AngelRoseFyre]

That is ridiculous!!! It is statchatory rape to be with a child that age (and rightfully so), but it is just fine to marry them? Is no one looking at this?!?!?! I beleive you must be 'activly' living together for 4 years to be common law married in CO. Is no one trying to stop these perverts before it is legal for them to do what they are doing, and further more they are pretty much saying it is illegal to sleep with an underage child, but as long as you do it with the same child for 4 years it's OK!!! THAT'S SICK!!! And as for two children that young getting married, that is just as horrible. What ever happened to let them be little? No child that age should have to have the responciblity of marriage, let them at least make it thru Prom first!!!

[AshyBekka]

That's ridiculous and a little gross! Has anyone noticed that it's never two 15 year olds wanting to do this-it's always some teenaged girl and a middle aged man (I think this guy was 38, but still-that's more than half her age!). Glad we're encouraging THAT kind of behavior!

[Clarity]

Ok all I can say is WOW! I mean I live in Kentucky...Kentucky of all places atleast says you have to be 16 before you can make those decisions. Of course I still don't think 16 is old enough either. Here it is not statutory after 16. You are considered an adult.

CO is opening alot of doors that do not need to be opened. Times are very different from English Common Law time. We spend our resources on protecting our children only to have a judicial system that is paid by taxpayers to say our children can be offered up to middle aged men in desperate need of professional counseling? This makes no sense to me. And what about the mother? Doesn't this fall under neglect or child endangerment?

The world never ceases to amaze me!

[peckmiranda]

This is just horrible!!!

I don't agree with marrying at 16, even with parental consent. The reason I don't is because most times, the reason the girl is getting married at 16 is because she got pregnant and the parents are still in that mindset that if you get married it's not that bad. I ***HATE*** the fact that everyone thinks you have to get married if you get pregnant. For some people it works out great, but for most, it's either a very unhappy marriage or they get divorced. I grew up in a really small town where either nobody knows how to use birth control or everybody's amazingly fertile. Anyway, almost all of the marriages around there exist for one reason: pregnancy. It is also the most unhappy town ever.

Sorry, I tend to get off on a tangent with this subject.

[janeandreawong]

That's just plain wrong. How can they even make a relationship work? How on earth are they going to earn decent living? One of the most stupid things I've ever heard!



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