Common Law Marriage

Georgia no longer recognizes new common law marriages as a valid marital relationship unless the common law marriage was entered into in another state where common law marriage is still recognized or if a common law marriage was entered into in the State of Georgia prior to January 1, 1997.  O.C.G.A. Section 19-3.1.1 provides:

“No common-law marriage shall be entered into in this State on or after January 1, 1997.  Otherwise valid common-law marriages entered into prior to January 1, 1997, shall not be affected by this Code section and shall continue to be recognized in this State.”