Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1886-07-02

The New Marriage Law.-The new
marriage law introduced In the House of
Delegates OF the last session OF the Legis-
lature by Mr. Armstrong, Of Washington
county, went.into effect yesterday. 1t makes
important changes in the manner of issuing
the licenses, and places the responsibility
for the eligibility oil the contracting parties
upon the applicant and upon the Clerk of
the Court who issues the license. The Min
lister Of the Gospel, SO far as the law is con-
cerned, can marry the parties named in the
license without question or inquiry. The
new law provides that before the Clerk OF
any of the Courts authorized shall issue any
marriage license he shall examine ON oath
the person making application for the same
to ascertain-hrst, the full names of the par
ties; second, their places of residence; third,
their ages fourth, their color fifth, whether
married or single; sixth, whether related or
not, and II so, In what degree Of relation
ship, which facts shall be set out in q printed
form, TO be signed by the person making
the application. The Court Clerk is re-
quired to keep record book In his office,
in which he shall make complete record
of the issuing Of the license, and all the mat,
tiers which he shall be required to ascertain
relative to the rights of the parties to obtain
the license, and upon the return of the GER
tificate it shall appear in the record when
the same was filed and the name Of the
minister or other person or persons by whom
the ceremony was performed. No license
shall issue unless the male be above 81 and
the female above 10 years Of age, unless the
parents or guardians assent thereto in per-
son, or by writing, attested by two witnesses,
and the fact Of such assent shall be made
part of the record. II in the course Of ex-
mi ofinp IF anu apf,lira ~ FIR n lfranoa
shall appear TO the Clerk that any legal i'm
pediment exists under the laws of the State
why the parties shall not be joined in mar
rage, he shall withhold the license, unless
ordered by the Court of which he is Clerk
to issue the same. A certified copy OF the
record of the marriage license and certih-
cate, under the hand of the Clerk and the
seal of that Court, shall be received in all
Courts OF the State as evidence of the mar
rage between the parties. The license fee
is 81, the same rs under the law reducing
the fee from $3.50, which went into effect on
June 1, 1885, The license, when produced,
shall be full authority to any minister or
other person authorized to marry receiving
the same to proceed with the marriage OF
the parties named therein, but for marrying
without such license he shall, on conviction,
be fined not less than 800 nor more than
$500. The County Courts and the Superior
Court of Baltimore City may, upon the pc
tition of either Of the parties, inquire into,
hear and determine, and the County Courts
and the Criminal Court OF Baltimore City,
on indictment, may inquire into, hear and
determine the validity OF any marriage, and
may declare any marriage contrary to the
table in this article, or any second marriage,
tho first subsisting, null and void, and on
appeal the dispositions aud evidence given
in the cause shall be transmitted with the
record to the Court of Appeals, and there
upon such cause shall he heard, determined
and adjudged, de nooo The minister who
performs the marriage ceremony shall give
one certificate OF that fact ID the contracting
parties, and also send u certificate TO the
Office of the Clerk who issues the license