23-104a. Solemnizing marriage; persons authorized to officiate. - Kansas Statutes

23-104a

Chapter 23.--DOMESTIC RELATIONS Article 1.--MARRIAGE

      23-104a.   Solemnizing marriage; persons authorized toofficiate.(a) Marriage may be validly solemnized and contracted in this state, after alicense has been issued for the marriage, in thefollowing manner: By themutual declarations of the two parties to be joined in marriage, madebefore an authorized officiating person and in the presence of at leasttwo competent witnesses over 18 years ofage, other than theofficiating person, that they take each other as husband and wife.

      (b)   Thefollowing are authorized to be officiating persons:

      (1)   Any currently ordainedclergyman or religious authority of any religious denomination or society;

      (2)   any licentiate of adenominational body or an appointee of any bishop serving as the regularclergyman of any church of the denomination to which the licentiateor appointee belongs, ifnot restrained from so doing by the discipline of that church ordenomination;

      (3)   any judge or justice of a court of record;

      (4)   any municipal judge of a city of this state; and

      (5)   any retired judge or justice of a court of record.

      (c)   The two parties themselves, by mutual declarationsthat they take each other as husband and wife, in accordance withthe customs, rules and regulations of any religious society, denominationor sect to which either of the parties belong, maybe married without an authorized officiating person.

      History:   L. 1968, ch. 207, § 1; L. 1973, ch. 134, § 26; L. 1984,ch. 134, § 1;L. 1996, ch. 194, § 2; July 1.