Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-21
MARRIAGES ILLEGAL
FTER AUGUST 10,
NJ TENDON HOLDS
Six Atlanta Couples in
Search of Licenses Are
Told to Wait

Every marriage contracted in
Georgia since August IS, when the
new marriage act was signed by
Governor Walker, is illegal, and
persons who contemplate matrimony
during the remainder of the present
month, would do we'll to postpone
their wedding dates until the new
marriage law can be put into effect.
in the opinion of S. G.. McLendon,
secretary of state. Attorney Gen
eral George M. Napier was out of
the city Wednesday, and it is not
known whether his opinion comedies
with that of Secretary McLendon.
T. r. GresS, assistant attorney
general agreed with Secretary Nc
Lendon. especially with reference to
maria ges based on licenses issued
within The five day period after Aug
ust IS, when the bill become effec-
tive. Mr. Gress declared that parties
contemplating marriage would do
we'll to await the receipt of copies
of the new bill by the various coun.
ty ordinances, so as 20 be sure of
compliance with the law, before haV-
ing the ceremonies performed.
doubt as to their duties under the
new law, and have besieged the at
tornCy general and secretary of
state with inquiries, 1t was said
Copies OF the new marriage law
were being mailed ont to the county
ordinarias by the attorney general S
office OF Wednesday.
Six couples met with setbacks in
Of mi
ty Wednesday morning when they
made applications for marriage IL
censes and were informed the new
law had gone into effect
judge r. H. Jeffries said Wednes-
day that new blanks are being
printed for the issuance of licenses
and that his office is now prepared
to receive all applications.
Five-Day Provision
The new law requires that notice
OF application for marriage licenses
must be posted in the ordinary's Of
flee for five days before the license
is issued. in order that anyone VINO
desires to file objections may do so,
and there are other provisions MAX
ing the marriage law more strict m
Georgia. For this eason, Secretary
McLendon advises all parties who are
not familiar with the law to walt
until the ordinaries receive their
copies of the act, and put them info
effect
Every marriage contracted In
Georgia from the 18th day of Au-
gust until this law can be fully COM
piled with will be an illegal mar
rage" Secretary MeLendon de-
clared. "This is a serious matter,
and wi be embarrassing to all per-
son who may be joined in mar
rage and a few days later find that
their marriage was Illegal.
"The law probably was passed to
put a stop to kindergarten mar
riages, but it takees in old and young
alike. All people now engaged to
be married, and who have fixed any
date in the month of August for their
wedding, had better postpone their
marriage and consult the ordinary.
''The press can do good turn for
hundreds of Georgians by rapidly
giving knowledge of this law Since
no marriage forms are at present in
the lands of the ordinariees, and will
rave to be printed, MARRIAGES. will
have to wait until the law can be
complied with.
The law does not specify any date
for it's effectiveness, which makes it
automatically effective when it has
been passed by both Fouses of the
legislature and signed by the COVER
nor. Governor Walker signed the
bill Monday night
Laws Essential Features
The essential paragraphs Of the
new marriage law are as follows:
Marriage licenses shall be grant
ed by the ordinaries, or their depu-
ties, of the several counties where
the female to be married resides, if
resident in this state; provided, that
if she be nonresident of this state,
then by the ordinary of the county
in which the ceremony is to be per-
formed; directed to any judge, JUS
tice of the peace. or minister of the
Gospel, authorizing the marriage of
the persons therein named and re-
curing such judge, justice OF the
peace, or minister Of the Gospel to
return the said license to the ordi-
nary, with his certificate thereon as
to the fact and date of the marriage,
within thirty days after the date Of
said marriage, which license with
the return thereon, shall be record
ed by the ordinary in book kept
for this purpose.
No marriage license shall be
granted until the ordinary or his
deputy shall have secured in writ
ing answers under oath from the
contracting parties or either of them,
to the following questions concern
ing each; Name, residence, city,
county and state, age, relationship,
white or colored, previously married,
divorced, upon what grounds, when
and where, any legal impediment
date and place of contemplated mar
riage, parents residence, parents
nationality; which answers shall be
certified to by the ordinary or his |
deputy and recorded on or attached |
to the marriage license.
To Post Application
Immediately upon receiving ap- |
rlication for a license, the ordinary
or his deputy shall post in the ordi- /
nary's office notice giving the /
names and residences of the parties |
Z pplying therefor. and the date of /
the application. No license shall be /
issued earlier than five days follow
ing the date of application for such
license within which period of five
days objections 10 the proposed mar
riage may be entered; provided, thai
in case of emergency, or eXtraor-
circumstances, the judge of
the court having probate jurisdiction
may authorize the license to be is
sued at any time before the expira- 7;
rion of said five davs
1T shall DC the duty Of the ordinary
and his deputy TO inquire as to the
ages Of all persons for whom mar.