# Commonlaw Marriage in Texas **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 12, 2000, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonlaw-marriage-in-texas/7202 "2000-02-12T04:11:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonlaw-marriage-in-texas/7202/21 "2000-02-13T17:46:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Billdo: > \*\* Sorry, Zette, actually that wouldn’t work. Under the Texas law cited (but in the part that wasn’t quoted by Otto) there is a requirement for a 72-hour waiting period between when the couple gets the marriage license and when the marriage is solemnized. \*\* I was misunderstood. I didn’t mean to imply you could get your license and jump right over to the JOP. I said, you can get the license, make an appointment with the JOP, and 10 minutes later (meaning, on the day of your wedding- when the JOP was available) you’re married. I meant that the JOP only takes about 10 min to perform the ceremony and it’s a legal marriage. Sorry for not being clearer. * * * Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high. Not enough and you’re gonna die… [Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonlaw-marriage-in-texas/7202/22 "2000-02-13T17:50:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Cessandra: > \*\*And, Zette, no Justice of the Peace marriage for me! I’m getting hitched at Ren Fest! \*\* I’m sure you didn’t mean that in a derogetory way- I was married by a JOP, and have a great marriage. It’s the people that matter, not the ceremony. That said, getting hitched at the Ren Fest sounds fun. I hope all goes well 🙂 Zette * * * Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high. Not enough and you’re gonna die… [Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonlaw-marriage-in-texas/7202/23 "2000-02-14T00:17:00Z")
Ah, that explains it, Billdo. We were both active duty at the time. Though I don’t recall any hearing that we were getting any kind of exemption. I thought it was like that for everybody. And quite frankly, Cessandra, I think the JOP wedding is the way to go. Stress level is absolutley zero, and you can still have a cool party afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![Cessandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cessandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cessandra)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonlaw-marriage-in-texas/7202/24 "2000-02-14T16:14:00Z")
Of course I didn’t mean anything bad, Zette! I just mean that I have my heart set on Ren. 🙂 * * * [Cessandra](http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/miscjunk/profile.html) I would’ve gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for those meddling kids! ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonlaw-marriage-in-texas/7202/25 "2000-02-14T20:15:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Actually, that’s not true. Several states still prohibit marriage between first cousins. I’m at home without access to my research materials, so I can’t tell you all of them, but I know that, for example, in Missouri you cannot marry your first cousin. Wisconsin’s Family Code chapter 765.03 prohibits first cousins from marrying unless the female has attained the age of 55 or where either party submits an affidavit from a physician that the party is permanently sterile. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonlaw-marriage-in-texas/7202.md?page=1)