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Marriage Certificate Louisiana



A brief guide to marriage certificates in Louisiana

Because the state of Louisiana does not recognize common law marriages, couples who wish for their relationship to be legally recognized must apply for a license and have a ceremony performed. A marriage certificate in Louisiana certifies that this ceremony has been completed. 

You will need a copy of this documentation in order to obtain a divorce. This marriage certificate in Louisiana will help establish that a marriage was legally executed, which will be necessary to prove in order to resolve issues such as alimony payments and child custody payments. Such documentation will help establish officially how long a couple has been in a relationship, which is a factor a judge may consider when issuing a ruling in a contested divorce.

Copies of marriage certificates in Louisiana may also be required if you are involved in probate litigation resolving the resolution of an estate. When a person who leaves no will dies, their spouse is generally entitled to their assets. However, without a copy of a marriage certificate in Louisiana, it will be difficult to establish that you are in fact entitled to inherit.

Obtaining copies of marriage certificates in Louisiana will follow different processes depending on whether or not a ceremony occurred in New Orleans or elsewhere in the state. The Louisiana Vital Records Registry is responsible for maintaining all such documents related to marriages that took place in New Orleans. Copies of marriage certificates in Louisiana for ceremonies are maintained by this department for up to 50 years. If you are seeking documentation for a ceremony that goes back further in time, you will need to get in touch with the Louisiana State Archives.

There are three ways to obtain a copy of a marriage certificate in Louisiana related to a New Orleans ceremony. You may do so in person in New Orleans. Alternately, you may fill out a request for copies of marriage certificates in Louisiana through the mail. It will take anywhere from four to six weeks before you will be mailed this document. People who cannot wait that long can request a copy of marriage certificate in Louisiana through the private VitalChek agency, which will assess an additional fee for their services.

If you are seeking documents for a marriage that occurred someplace other than New Orleans, you will need to contact the county clerk of whatever area the ceremony was performed in. A full list of these officials who can help you obtain copies of marriage certificates in Louisiana can be found at http://laclerksofcourt.org/clerksofcourt.htm. 

In order to obtain this information, you will need to provide a certain amount of information. You will not be able to receive a copy of marriage certificate in Louisiana without the full name of both spouses, the date of the marriage and the location in which it was performed. Applicants should also provide their contact information, including an address and a daytime phone number at which they can be contacted.

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