What are the Reasons for a Court Marriage?

A court marriage offers several benefits, including legal recognition without the need for religious ceremonies, ensuring equality for interfaith couples. Often more cost-effective and quicker than traditional weddings, court marriages provide a straightforward, legally binding process that offers couples a sense of security and official documentation. This form of marriage ensures privacy, protecting the couple from societal pressures. Additionally, it is an ideal choice for those seeking a simple and minimalistic union. Overall, court marriages are practical for couples prioritizing legality, equality, and efficiency in their marital union.

Historical Context of Court Marriages

Traditionally, marriages in Western culture were performed and recorded in a church or synagogue. However, the United States, at the turn of the last century, witnessed a significant political focus on race superiority. The Nazis even borrowed many of their foundational policies from the U.S., as documented in The Atlantic.

Policy Exchange Between Nazi Germany and the U.S.

During a June 5, 1934 conference of leading German lawyers, there was a discussion on operationalizing a racist regime. The records indicate that the most extreme among them, who relied on the synoptic scholarship of Krieger, were particularly drawn to American legal codes based on white supremacy. Notably, Robert H. Jackson, who later became a Supreme Court justice, attended this conference and expressed interest in these ideas.

The main conceptual idea presented by Freisler was that race is a political construction, with its importance and meaning largely determined by political decisions enshrined in law rather than scientific realities or social conventions. This philosophy influenced both American and German policies, leading to stringent marriage and sterilization requirements.

The Influence of Eugenics on Government Marriage Licenses

Before allowing individuals to marry in the "Land of the Free," there was a requirement of a blood test to receive a marriage license from the government. This practice was deeply rooted in eugenics, a pseudoscientific theory advocating controlled breeding to improve the human population. The eugenics movement, championed by figures like Margaret Sanger, sought to implement policies that would ensure the proliferation of the fit and the sterilization of the unfit.

The Inception of the U.S. Marriage License Scheme

Initially, the primary concern was to avoid racial mixing, as the U.S. government sought to maintain a certain racial purity. The marriage license system was an extension of this eugenic philosophy, with government officials believing they had the right to determine who could marry and under what circumstances. This interventionism led to a system where the government could extract a never-ending income stream, extending their reach into every aspect of one’s personal life.

A Question of Individual Freedom

It is worth asking oneself whether leading figures in the founding era, such as Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin, would have imagined the modern-day requirement for a marriage license. The idea of needing a government-granted permission to marry seems quite absurd when considering the principles of freedom and individual rights that were foundational to the U.S. This practice underscores the evolution of legal and social norms over time.

In conclusion, court marriages offer a viable alternative to traditional wedding ceremonies, providing legal recognition, equality, and a simpler process. Understanding the historical context and the influence of eugenics on government marriage licensing policies can help shed light on the practical and ethical implications of modern marriage laws.