Marriage and Divorce Laws of the World Part 37

1. Natural impotence or incapacity of procreation at time of marriage, and still continuing.

2. Former marriage still subsisting.

3. Adultery.

4. Wilful and malicious desertion for the s.p.a.ce of two years.

5. Husband's cruel and barbarous treatment endangering wife's life.

6. Husband having offered such indignities to wife as to render her condition intolerable and life burdensome.

7. Relationship within prohibited degrees.

8. Marriage procured by fraud, force or coercion.

9. Wife's cruel and barbarous treatment of husband.

10. That either of the parties has been convicted as princ.i.p.al or accessory of the crime of arson, burglary, embezzlement, forgery, kidnapping, larceny, murder in first or second degree, voluntary manslaughter, perjury, rape, robbery, sodomy, b.u.g.g.e.ry, treason, or misprison of treason, and has been sentenced to prison for more than two years.

11. That either husband or wife is a hopeless lunatic or _non compos mentis_.

Confinement for ten years or more in an asylum for the insane is conclusive proof of hopeless insanity.

LIMITED DIVORCE.--This may be granted for:

1. Husband turning wife out of doors.

2. Husband's cruel and barbarous treatment of wife.

3. Husband offering such indignities to his wife as to render her condition intolerable and force her to leave his house.

Upon hearing any cause for divorce the court may decree either a divorce or a decree of nullity.

RHODE ISLAND.

MARRIAGE.--No age fixed for marriage. Parental consent required for all minors.

IMPEDIMENTS.--Same as in Ma.s.sachusetts. However, Jews are permitted to marry within degrees permitted by their religion.

CAUSES FOR DIVORCE:

1. In case marriage was originally void or voidable by law.

2. When either party is for crime deemed civilly dead.

3. When party may be presumed dead.

4. Impotency.

5. Adultery.

6. Extreme cruelty.

7. Wilful desertion.

8. Continued drunkenness.

9. Neglect or refusal of husband, being able, to support wife.

10. Any other gross misbehaviour and wickedness in either of the parties repugnant to and in violation of the marriage covenant.

SOUTH CAROLINA.

MARRIAGE.--No age is fixed by law for marriage of minors, nor when parental consent is necessary.

IMPEDIMENTS.--Same as to prohibited degrees of kinship as in Ma.s.sachusetts.

Marriages of whites with Indians, negroes, mulattoes, mestizos, or half-breeds, are forbidden.

FORMALITIES.--No license is required, and no particular form of ceremony necessary.

DIVORCE.--By a provision of the State const.i.tution divorces from the bonds of matrimony are not allowed in South Carolina.

Marriages may, however, be annulled for want of consent of either party, or for any other cause showing that at the time of the supposed marriage it was not a contract, provided such contract has not been consummated by cohabitation.

SOUTH DAKOTA.

MARRIAGE.--Minimum age at which males can marry is 18 years, females 15 years. Parental consent is required for males under 21 years and females under 18 years.

PROHIBITED DEGREES.--Same as in Ma.s.sachusetts.

Common law marriages are recognized.

Marriage may be solemnized by minister, priest, judge of supreme court or probate court, justice of the peace, mayor, or by the parties themselves making a joint declaration.

CAUSES FOR DIVORCE:

1. Adultery.

2. Extreme cruelty.

3. Wilful desertion for one year.

4. Wilful neglect for one year.

5. Habitual intemperance for one year.