| There are a lot of advantages to living in the United | | | | marriages, including common law marriages. There |
| Kingdom - the National Health Service (what's left of | | | | used to be such things as "greenwood marriages", (a |
| it), the best cup of tea in the world and the comfort | | | | sort of trial marriage that often produced children) |
| of always knowing that England will lose the World | | | | where you lived for a year and a day with your |
| Cup. However, common law marriage is not one of | | | | partner, and then decided whether to call the whole |
| the advantages - which might even be news to the | | | | thing off. This was considered a Pagan tradition |
| English. | | | | having to do with fertility rituals around what is now |
| An American Import | | | | known as May Day (Beltane). |
| It's thought that the idea of a common law marriage | | | | However, times and the law change. Our ancestors |
| having the same rights and insurance coverage as for | | | | did not have such things as health insurance policies |
| traditionally married couples came from America. | | | | that depend on whether or not you were legally |
| There are certain states in the US (not all of them) | | | | married. They also didn't have to worry about the |
| where common law marriage couples can get many | | | | strict immigration laws of most countries today, |
| of the same privileges as traditionally married couples. | | | | including both the USA and the UK. A legal marriage |
| Despite what many people think, you can't just live | | | | requires a lot of paperwork and at least a ceremony |
| with someone for seven or ten or twenty years and | | | | at the local Registrar. |
| have that "count" as a common law marriage. | | | | So, despite what anyone tells you (even if they have |
| Depending on the state you live in, you need to also | | | | lived in England all of their lives), there is no such thing |
| jump through a lot more hoops before you can get | | | | as common law marriage in the UK. This writer is |
| even a fraction of the privileges of traditionally | | | | especially making an important emphasis on this, |
| married couples. These hoops can be from just filing | | | | because she was once tricked into a relationship |
| joint tax returns to "having the intention to marry." | | | | because she was told by her "husband" that she |
| What About In UK History? | | | | could be a UK citizen after the time of a common |
| The UK has had a long history of unconventional | | | | law marriage had passed. |