Most individuals that are really keen on protecting their legal rights are most often more concerned with these rights when it comes to criminal law. Yet, there are many civil rights that individuals in the UK have that they may not be aware of.
One of the most common legal rights when it comes to civil law is the legal right to marry. The laws regarding this are not the same for every country. New laws in England and in Wales have now made it possible for same-sex individuals to become legally married. This is a legal right that everyone should be aware of. This is important for those that are not partaking in this type of marriage because same-sex married couples cannot be discriminated against.
Any person over the age of sixteen in England or Wales has the right to enter into marriage. But f they are under the age of eighteen then they must get consent from their parents.
Where concerns are raised when it comes to legal rights and marriage is for couples that live together but do not get legally married. This is sometimes referred to as irregular marriages or common law marriages. While these may be considered as one and the same they are technically by law two separate things. It is important to know this when it comes to legal rights.
Irregular marriages are no longer recognized under the law in Scotland for example. It was brought to an end under family law in 2006. This type of marriage was recognized as a marriage by cohabiting with habit and repute. It meant couples could live together and were recognized as being married. It was a law that was seldom used so it was abolished.
Every individual that believes that they are legally married and wants to prove this has the legal right to bring this before the courts to get a ruling on it. This can be done by either party in the relationship or even the children or any other person. This is commonly done if there is a question about the validity of a marriage when it comes up in an inheritance claim.
For those that are not sure about the laws of marriage in the UK, they can ask any official as to what these are.