A study performed by the Center for Law and Social Policy in Washington, D.C. found that the number of married teenagers in America increased by almost 50 percent in the 1990s alone. There are no federal laws governing child marriages, and each state addresses the issue with its own legislation, with some states being more lenient than others.
Parental Consent
The legal age for marriage without parental consent is 18 in most states, though many states will allow teenagers younger than 18 to marry if their parents appear with them to obtain the marriage license and give their written approval. Alabama and South Carolina allow children as young as 14 to marry with their parents' permission. New Hampshire's statutes allow children as young as 13 to marry, and Kansas and Massachusetts will allow it at age 12, all with the written agreement of the parents.
Court Approval
In Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Utah, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Michigan, Idaho, Louisiana, New York and Maryland, the laws allow underage marriages but only with the permission of the court. An application must be made giving a reason why the marriage should be allowed.
Stricter Legislation
Some states will not allow child marriages under any circumstances. New York, New Hampshire and North Carolina do not allow marriages for youths aged 14 or younger, even with parental consent or court approval. Oregon's laws prohibit marriage entirely for anyone under 17. In Illinois, South Dakota and Washington, D.C., marriages are illegal if either partner is under the age of 16. Mississippi may well be the strictest state in the country: it doesn't allow marriage under the age of 21 without a parent's consent, and boys may not marry at all if they're younger than 17.
Counseling Requirements
In Montana and California, legislation allows teenage marriages after the couple attends counseling and gets the counselor's written approval, in addition to parental consent. Montana also requires permission from the court even after counseling.
Pregnancy
A handful of states have historically allowed exceptions to their marriage laws when the bride is pregnant. Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Delaware, Georgia and Kentucky will all waive some or all of their limitations, at the discretion of a judge, if proof is provided by a doctor that a child has been conceived. This was the law in Maryland as well, but it was repealed there in 2006.
