Marriage in Nevada
The history of marriage in the State of Nevada is a rich and colorful one, filled with Hollywood stars, famous athletes, and seemingly mythical romances. Since the early 1930s, Nevada has been a beacon for its lure of fast, easy marriages, and even easier divorces. The State has at once proclaimed itself the marriage capital of the world, and been labeled the unofficial divorce capital of the world.
This rich history has led millions to flock to Nevada to tie the knot at wedding chapels and churches across the state. In fact, the Little Church of the West, which opened in Las Vegas in 1942, still stands today on the Las Vegas Strip, and is one of the rare holdovers from a bygone generation. Since the time of Las Vegas’ first widely publicized celebrity marriage in 1943, between Betty Grable and Harry James, numerous celebrities have been married in Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City, and Lake Tahoe.
Another reason for the allure of Nevada, outside of its extremely relaxed marriage requirements, are its divorce laws. At a time when almost every other state in the Union required fault to be shown in order to dissolve a marriage, Nevada abolished such requirements. As a result, people from across the country relocated (some temporarily and some permanently) to Nevada to obtain “quickie” divorces. This migration was the stuff of legends, spawning tales about wedding rings being tossed into the Truckee River (just south of Reno in Northern Nevada) from Virginia Street’s “Bridge of Sighs.”
Even though Nevada no longer holds a relative monopoly on the concept of a no-fault divorce (as all other states have adopted the concept), its legendary history of marriage and divorce continues to draw people in for both and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
WILLICK LAW GROUP has litigated, and provided expert witness testimony about, nearly every aspect of the legitimacy and enforceability of marriages in Nevada. We stand ready to use our extensive research and experience in the subject whenever relevant to a case in which we are involved.
- The History and Nature of Marriage in Nevada
- The Evolving Concept of Marriage and Coming Convergence of Marital and Non-Marital Property and Support Law (Nevada Lawyer, May 2011)
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