4. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. What is generally the basis of marriage in Britain?

2. What must a marriage be to be legally valid?

3. What will invalidate the marriage?

4. Can all arranged marriages be set aside?

5. Выразите согласие или несогласие с данными утверждениями и обоснуйте свою точку зрения.

1. Now bride seizure, payment and parental arrangement are regarded as the normal methods for deciding on marriage partners.

2. To be legally valid, a marriage must be between two single people.

3. If there is a mistake as to the identity of the other partner the marriage would be invalid.

4. All other mistakes will also invalidate it.

B. Between Two Single People

Neither party can be already married. So they must both be either single, widowed or divorced. If one party is divorced, the final decree of divorce must have been obtained (the decree absolute). If either is married at the time of the ceremony the marriage will be void and the offence of bigamy will have been committed. In fact, bigamy prosecutions are relatively rare these days because the police do not prosecute if the sole purpose was to allow the couple to live respectably as man and wife. Only 20 per cent or so of bigamy cases are prosecuted. Obviously if the bigamist was acting maliciously or fraudulently then he or she would be prosecuted.

Problems arise when a married person separated from the other spouse many years ago and now wishes to remarry. To avoid the risk of a bigamy prosecution, the court should be asked to grant a decree of presumption of death and divorce, or to grant a divorce based on five years' separation.

Unless such an order is obtained there is always a risk that the second marriage will be bigamous, although there is a special defence for those who have not heard from their spouse for at least seven years and who have no reason to suppose that he or she is still alive. This defence, even if it reduces the risks of a bigamy conviction, may not be enough to save the second marriage. Almost certainly, the second, bigamous, marriage will be null and void, so the couple will be in the same position as if they had never been married.

Notes

party — сторона

be widowed — овдоветь

decree of divorce — постановление суда о разводе

obtain - приобретать

void — делать недействительным, аннулировать (проступок,

нарушение)

bigamy — бигамия, двоеженство prosecution - судебное преследование relatively — относительно sole purpose — единственная цель maliciously — предумышленно fraudulent(ly) — обманный, мошеннический spouse — супруг grant — предоставлять presumption — презумпция suppose — предполагать reduce — снижать, уменьшать conviction — признание виновным, осуждение null and void — потерявший законную силу

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Упражнения

6. Найдите в тексте словосочетания с данными юридическими терминами.

decree; offence; bigamy; presumption; conviction

7. Дайте словосочетания с данными глаголами.

to obtain; to commit; to arise; to grant; to reduce; to save

8. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. Why are bigamy prosecutions relatively rare these days?

2. What problems can arise when a married person separated from the other spouse many years ago now wishes to remarry?

3. What should be done to avoid the risk of a bigamy prosecution?

C. Who Are Over Sixteen

Since 1929 the minimum age for marriage has been sixteen. Before then, it was fourteen for boys and twelve for girls.

If a boy or girl of under sixteen is married, the marriage will be null and void. In addition, the child will be committing a criminal offence.

A person under the age of eighteen needs to obtain parental, or other consent to the marriage. If the consent is forged, or if the child states that he or she is over eighteen in order to make consent unnecessary, the marriage will remain valid, but the child will be committing a criminal offence. The marriage will only be invalid if the child is under sixteen.

Consents. A sixteen- or seventeen-year-old will need the signed consent jf parents and anyone else with parental responsibility.

If for some reason one of the parents cannot give consent (e.g. because he or she cannot be traced), then special consent will be needed; the registrar of marriages can provide details.

If the parents refuse their consent the child can apply to the court for its consent. Although the application can be to a Family Proceedings Court (a magistrates' court), a county court, or the High Court, it is usually most convenient to apply to the local Family Proceedings Court. The child should go to the court as though he or she wanted to issue an application and explain the position to the warrant officer.

Notes

commit a criminal offence — совершить уголовное деяние

(проступок) parental — родительский consent — согласие forged — подделанный, фальшивый

signed — подписанный

responsibility — ответственность

be traced — быть найденным

registrar of marriages — регистратор

refuse - отказываться

magistrates' court — суд магистрата (в Англии)

county court — местный суд графства (в Англии) или округа

(в США)

be convenient — быть удобным issue an application — подать прошение, заявление warrant officer — служащий, определяющий, законен ли брак

Упражнения