This is a partial list of the legal marriage laws in the State of Washington. These 200 rights and responsibilities — out of at least 360 laws that are triggered by legal marriage — show the variety of societal and business interactions built into legal marriage. This list provides a glimpse of what is at stake by the denial of access to legal marriage.
While all states generally cover similar legal areas, there are state-by-state differences. Besides the state laws, the U.S. Federal system also has more than 1,138 laws which are triggered by legal marriage. [See U.S. Federal Laws for the Legally Married.]
Almost all states offer some form of the following marital rights:
- to not be forced to testify in court against each other;
- ability to make medical decisions on each other’s behalf;
- to seek wrongful death compensation;
- access to a decedent’s estate in the absence of a will;
- to maintain life and disability insurance on a spouse;
- eligibility for worker’s compensation death benefits; and
- to automatically hold property as tenants in common.
This Washington State Domestic Relations Law list is copied from the Revised Code of Washington located at the state’s official Internet site. You may search for relevant laws from this site:
search.leg.wa.gov/pub/textsearch/default.asp.
TITLE 26 RCW -- DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapters
26.04 Marriage.
26.09 Dissolution of marriage -- Legal separation.
26.10 Nonparental actions for child custody.
26.12 Family court.
26.16 Husband and wife--Rights and liabilities--Community property.
26.18 Child support enforcement.
26.19 Child support schedule.
26.20 Family abandonment or nonsupport.
26.21 Uniform interstate family support act.
26.23 State support registry.
26.26 Uniform parentage act.
26.27 Uniform child custody jurisdiction act.
26.28 Age of majority.
26.30 Uniform minor student capacity to borrow act.
26.33 Adoption.
26.34 Interstate compact on placement of children.
26.40 Handicapped children.
26.44 Abuse of children and adult dependent persons.
26.50 Domestic violence prevention.
NOTES:
Action against parent for willful injury to property by minor child:
RCW 4.24.190.
Action by parent for sale or transfer of controlled substance to
minor: RCW 69.50.414.
Child welfare services: Chapter 74.13 RCW.
Children, expectant mothers and adult developmentally disabled, care and
placement agencies: Chapter 74.15 RCW.
Children's center for research and training in mental retardation:
RCW 28B.20.410 through 28B.20.414.
Community property, descent and distribution, devise:
RCW 11.02.070, 11.04.015.
Contempts: Chapter 7.21 RCW.
Council for the prevention of child abuse and neglect: Chapter 43.121 RCW.
Displaced homemaker act: Chapter 28B.04 RCW.
Enforcement of judgments: Title 6 RCW.
Evidence -- Who are disqualified -- Privileged communications: RCW 5.60.060.
Homesteads: Chapter 6.13 RCW.
Joint tenancies: Chapter 64.28 RCW.
Jurisdiction over Indians as to domestic relations and adoption:
Chapter 37.12 RCW.
Personal exemptions: Chapter 6.15 RCW.
Probate and trust law: Title 11 RCW.
Sex crimes: Chapter 9A.44 RCW.
Sexually transmitted disease treatment and care for minors, consent,
liability: RCW 70.24.110.
Shoplifting by minors, liability of parents, guardians: RCW 4.24.230.
Solicitation of minor for immoral purposes: RCW 71.06.010.
Special proceedings and actions: Title 7 RCW; rights of action:
Chapter 4.24 RCW.
Survival of actions: Chapter 4.20 RCW.
Transfers to minors act: Chapter 11.114 RCW.
Trial -- Implied bias defined: RCW 4.44.180.
Wages due on death of employee -- Payment to survivor under community property
agreement: RCW 49.48.120.
Youth development and conservation corps: Chapter 43.51 RCW.
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CHAPTER 26.04 RCW -- MARRIAGE
Sections
26.04.010 Who may contract -- Certain marriages void, exception.
26.04.020 Prohibited marriages -- Spouse living -- Consanguinity.
26.04.050 Who may solemnize.
26.04.060 Marriage before unauthorized cleric -- Effect.
26.04.070 Form of solemnization.
26.04.080 Marriage certificate -- Contents.
26.04.090 Certificate for files of county auditor and state registrar of
vital statistics -- Forms.
26.04.100 Filing and recording -- County auditor.
26.04.105 Preservation of copies of applications and
licenses -- County auditor.
26.04.110 Penalty for failure to deliver certificates.
26.04.120 Marriage according to religious ritual.
26.04.130 Voidable marriages.
26.04.140 Marriage license.
26.04.150 Application for license -- May be secured by mail -- Execution
and acknowledgment.
26.04.160 Application for license -- Contents -- Oath.
26.04.165 Additional marriage certificate form.
26.04.170 Inspection of applications.
26.04.175 When disclosure of marriage applications and records prohibited.
26.04.180 License -- Time limitations as to issuance and use -- Notification.
26.04.190 Refusal of license -- Appeal.
26.04.200 Penalty for violations -- 1939 c 204.
26.04.210 Affidavits required for issuance of license.
26.04.220 Retention of license by person solemnizing -- Auditor's record.
26.04.230 Penalty for violation of marriage requirements.
26.04.240 Penalty for unlawful solemnization -- Code 1881.
26.04.250 Penalty for unlawful solemnization -- 1909 c 249.
NOTES:
Certificates for out-of-state marriage license requirements: RCW 70.58.380.
Interschool athletic and other extracurricular activities for students,
discrimination because of marital status prohibited: RCW 28A.600.200.
Statute of frauds -- Contracts, etc., void unless in writing: RCW 19.36.010.
Veterans and veterans' affairs -- Free marriage and divorce
certificates: RCW 73.04.120.
==========================
CHAPTER 26.09 RCW -- DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE -- LEGAL SEPARATION
Sections
26.09.002 Policy.
26.09.004 Definitions.
26.09.006 Mandatory use of approved forms.
26.09.010 Civil practice to govern -- Designation of proceedings -- Decrees.
26.09.015 Mediation -- Confidentiality -- Report to court.
26.09.020 Petition in proceeding for dissolution of marriage, legal
separation, or for a declaration concerning validity of marriage
-- Contents -- Parties -- Certificate.
26.09.030 Petition for dissolution of marriage -- Court proceedings, findings
-- Transfer to family court --
Legal separation in lieu of dissolution.
26.09.040 Petition to have marriage declared invalid or judicial
determination of validity -- Procedure -- Findings -- Grounds
-- Legitimacy of children.
26.09.050 Decrees -- Contents -- Restraining orders -- Enforcement.
26.09.060 Temporary maintenance or child support -- Temporary restraining
order -- Preliminary injunction -- Domestic violence or
antiharassment protection order -- Support debts, notice.
26.09.070 Separation contracts.
26.09.080 Disposition of property and liabilities -- Factors.
26.09.090 Maintenance orders for either spouse -- Factors.
26.09.100 Child support -- Apportionment of expense -- Periodic adjustments
or modifications.
26.09.105 Child support -- Health insurance coverage -- Conditions.
26.09.110 Minor or dependent child -- Court appointed attorney.
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None of these regulations governing marriage rights and
responsibilities are available to same-sex partners.
Governments that offer Full Legal Marriage
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Nations
.
Netherlands (2001)
Belgium (2003)
Canada (2005)
Spain (2005)
South Africa (2005)
Norway (2009)
Sweden (2009)
Iceland (2010)
Argentina (2010)
Portugal (2010)
Denmark (2012)
France (2013)
New Zealand (2013)
Brazil (2013)
Uruguay (2013)
New Zealand (2013)
United Kingdom
(England, Wales) (2013)
Luxembourg (2014)
Finland (2014)
Scotland (2014)
Ireland (2015)
Greenland (2015)
United States (2015)
Colombia (2016)
Germany (2017)
Malta (2017)
Australia (2017)
Austria (2019)
Taiwan (2019)
Ecuador (2019)
Costa Rica (2020)
Chile (2022)
Estonia (2023)
Nepal (2023)
Greece (2024)
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US States
.
U.S. Supreme Court, June 26, 2015 Ruling: All States must allow legal, same-sex marriage.
.
These states had legal marriage before the ruling:
.
Massachusetts (2004)
California (2008)
Connecticut (2008)
Iowa (2009)
Vermont (2009)
New Hampshire (2009)
District of Columbia (2009)
New York (2011)
Maine (2012)
Washington (2012)
Maryland (2013)
Rhode Island (2013)
Delaware (2013)
Minnesota (2013)
Illinois (2013)
Utah (2013)
New Jersey (2013)
Hawaii (2013)
New Mexico (2013)
Michigan (2014) - stayed pending legal challenge
Oregon (2014)
Wisconsin (2014)
Arkansas (2014) - stayed pending legal challenge
Pennsylvania (2014)
Indiana (2014)
Nevada (2014)
Virginia (2014)
Oklahoma (2014)
Idaho (2014)
West Virginia (2014)
Alaska (2014)
Arizona (2014)
Wyoming (2014)
Kansas (2014) - stayed pending legal challenge
Florida (2014)
Colorado (2014)
North Carolina (2014)
South Carolina (2014)
Montana (2014)
Alabama (2015)
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Native American Tribes
.
Coquille Tribe, Oregon (2009)
Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, Connecticut (2010)
Suquamish Tribe, Washington (2011)
Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Washington (2011)
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan (2013)
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan (2013)
Santa Ysabel Tribe, California (2013)
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, WA (2013)
Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (2013)
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Minnesota (2013)
Grand Portage Band of Chippewa, Minnesota (2013)
Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Washington (2014)
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Arizona (2014)
Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming (2014)
Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana (2014)
San Carlos Apache Tribe, Arizona (2014)
Fort McDermitt Paiute & Shoshone Tribes, OR & NV (2014)
Fort McDowell Yavapai Community, Arizona (2014)
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, WI (2014)
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (2014)
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (2014)
Pascua Yaqui Tribe (2014)
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, & Siuslaw Indians (2014)
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes, Alaska (2015)
Oneida Nation, Wisconsin (2015)
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (2015)
Chemehuevi Indian Tribe (2015)
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde (2015)
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (2015)
Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe (2016)
Oglala Sioux Tribe (2016)
Tulalip Tribe, Washington (2016)
Menominee Nation (2016)
Cherokee Nation (2016)
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