Offield v. Davis
Supreme Court of Virginia
Appeal from a decree of the Circuit Court of Greene county, pronounced at its June term, 1899, in several chancery suits heard together wherein appellant filed a petition claiming dower.
1Opinion of the CourtCabdwell, J.
The question presented on this appeal, and for the first time to this court, is, whether or not a contract, if proved, entered into between a man and a woman, per verba de presentí, or per verba de futuro cum copula, by which they mutually agreed to become husband and wife, without any celebration and without license, constitutes a valid marriage in this State, and entitles the woman to dower initiate from the time at which the agreement was entered into. In other words, is a common law marriage entered into in this State valid?
The question arises on the petition of Sarah D. Offield,…
2Cases cited7 opinions
- Meister v. MooreSupreme Court of the United States · 1878
- Hutchins v. KimmellMichigan Supreme Court · 1875
- Hesseltine v. McLaughlinWashington Supreme Court · 1892
- Beverlin v. BeverlinWest Virginia Supreme Court · 1887
- Peet v. PeetMichigan Supreme Court · 1884
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3Cited by51 opinions
- MacDougall v. LevickSupreme Court of Virginia · 2017
- Heflinger v. HeflingerSupreme Court of Virginia · 1923
- Huard v. McTeighOregon Supreme Court · 1925
- Roberts v. RobertsWyoming Supreme Court · 1943
- Hoage v. Murch Bros. Const. Co.Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit · 1931
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