Common-law Marriage

Common-law marriage, sometimes spelled without a hyphen and also known as sui juris marriage, informal marriage or marriage by habit and repute; is an irregular form of marriage that can be legally contracted in an extremely limited number of jurisdictions.

Common-law marriage is different from non-marital relationship contracts, which involve two people living together without considering themselves each other's spouses and/or without legal recognition as spouses in the jurisdiction where the contract was formed. Non-marital relationship contracts are not necessarily recognized from one jurisdiction to another, whereas common-law marriages are legally valid marriages worldwide (if the parties complied with the requirements to form a valid marriage while living in a jurisdiction that allows this form of marriage to be contracted), as was historically the case under the common law of England (hence the name, "common-law marriage").

Yet, the term "common-law marriage" is sometimes used as a synonym for "non-marital relationship contract", as well as for domestic partnership and reciprocal beneficiaries relationship. Sui juris marriages may be recognized as one of these other interpersonal relationships in foreign jurisdictions, especially if the parties to a true common-law marriage are not able to prove that they conformed to the requirements to contract a common-law marriage in their home jurisdiction. Common law marriage is often contrasted with the ceremonial marriage.