2004 Minnesota Statutes

     517.01 Marriage a civil contract. 

    Marriage, so far as its validity in law is concerned, is a 
 civil contract between a man and a woman, to which the consent 
 of the parties, capable in law of contracting, is essential.  
 Lawful marriage may be contracted only between persons of the 
 opposite sex and only when a license has been obtained as 
 provided by law and when the marriage is contracted in the 
 presence of two witnesses and solemnized by one authorized, or 
 whom one or both of the parties in good faith believe to be 
 authorized, so to do.  Marriages subsequent to April 26, 1941, 
 not so contracted shall be null and void. 

    HIST: (8562) RL s 3552; 1941 c 459; 1977 c 441 s 1; 1978 c 772 
 s 1; 1997 c 203 art 10 s 1