Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 203 – Civil unions void; when
(a) A civil union is prohibited and void between a person and his or her ancestor, descendant, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew or first cousin.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 203
- Civil union: means a legal union between 2 individuals of the same sex established pursuant to this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 201
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
(b) A civil union is prohibited, and is void from the time its nullity is declared by a Court of competent jurisdiction at the instance of the innocent party, if either party thereto is:
(1) Divorced, unless a certified copy of the divorce decree (last decree if such person has been divorced more than once) or a certificate of such divorce from the clerk of the Court granting the divorce is inspected by the clerk of the peace to whom such person makes application for a civil union license, and unless such person may in other respects lawfully enter into a civil union; and, if such decree or certificate cannot be obtained, the resident judge of the county where such license is desired or the person designated by the resident judge to grant such certificates as may be accepted under this paragraph (b)(1) may grant a certificate of the facts as stated by the applicant and the certificate may, for the purposes of this chapter, be accepted in lieu of a certified copy of a divorce decree; or
(2) On probation or parole from any Court or institution, unless such person first files with the clerk of the peace to whom such person makes application for a civil union license a written consent to such person’s proposed civil union from the chief officer of such Court or institution or from someone who is appointed by such officer to give such consent, and unless in other respects the applicant may lawfully enter into a civil union.
(c) A civil union obtained or recognized outside the State between persons prohibited by subsection (a) of this section shall not constitute a legal or valid civil union within this State.
(d) The guilty party or parties to a civil union prohibited by this section shall be fined $100, and in default of the payment of the fine shall be imprisoned not more than 30 days. The Superior Court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over all proceedings for violations of this section.