{"data":{"id":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-48-2-601","jurisdiction":"us-wv","citation":"W. Va. Code § 48-2-601","heading":"Belief of parties in lawful marriage validates certain defects.","body":"If a marriage is solemnized by a person professing to be authorized to celebrate marriages when, in fact, the person is not authorized, or if a marriage is solemnized after the license is expired, the marriage is not void and subject to a judgment of nullity based on that fact alone if:\n(1) The marriage is lawful in all other respects, and\n(2) The marriage is consummated with a full belief on the part of either or both of the persons married that they have been lawfully joined in marriage.","path":["CHAPTER 48. DOMESTIC RELATIONS.","ARTICLE 2. MARRIAGES.","PART VI. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS."],"source_url":"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/48-2-601/","current_through":"as of 2026-08-03; contains at least the enactments of the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T00:30:20Z","sha256":"304136019402b4f5c04e1bf21bb7d218d3b5eed733407607714b6e7263f64443","source_id":"us-wv","stale":true,"prev":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-48-2-505","next":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-48-2-602"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}