20-48 - Minimum age of marriage with consent of parents.
§ 20-48. Minimum age of marriage with consent of parents.
The minimum age at which persons may marry, with consent of the parent orguardian, shall be sixteen.
In case of pregnancy when either party is under sixteen, the clerk authorizedto issue marriage licenses in the county or city wherein the female residesshall issue a proper marriage license with the consent of the parent orguardian of the person or persons under the age of sixteen only uponpresentation of a doctor's certificate showing he has examined the female andthat she is pregnant, or has been pregnant within the nine months previous tosuch examination, which certificate shall be filed by the clerk, and suchmarriage consummated under such circumstances shall be valid. If any suchperson under the age of sixteen is a ward of the Commonwealth by virtue ofhaving been adjudicated a delinquent, dependent, or neglected child, insteadof the consent of the parent or natural guardian there shall be required theconsent of the judge having jurisdiction to control the custody of suchperson; or, if such person so adjudicated shall have been committed to theDepartment of Juvenile Justice or to any society, association, or institutionapproved by it for this purpose, such consent shall be given by some personthereto authorized by the Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice, orby the principal executive officer of such society, association, orinstitution, as the case may be.
(Code 1919, § 5090; 1932, p. 529; 1942, p. 230; 1946, p. 500; 1960, c. 363;1972, c. 823; 1974, cc. 44, 45; 1975, c. 644; 1989, c. 733; 2008, cc. 174,206.)