Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Commons^™

Overcorrecting The Purported Problem Of Taking Child Brides In Polygamist Marriages: The Texas Legislature Unconstitutionally Voids All Marriages By Texans Younger Than Sixteen And Criminalizes Parental Consent., Rosanne Piatt

St. Mary's Law Journal

In the 79th Regular Legislative Session, Texas lawmakers amended and added numerous provisions to both the Texas Family Code and Texas Penal Code relating to the status of marriage. One change was the inclusion in the Family Code of a section voiding a marriage if either party is younger than sixteen years of age. Additionally, legislators included criminal penalties to other laws relating to marriage. Specifically, parents are prohibited from giving consent to the marriages of parties under sixteen, but parents also face third-degree felony charges if they give consent. The legislature voided certain underage marriages in Texas due to …