MARRIAGE - FAMILY RESTRICTIONS

New York State Restrictions on Marriage Regarding Family Members

Marriage is a romantic notion in some ways; however, there are certain rules and regulations which many states attach to marriage. Some are procedural requirements while others are based on laws and social taboos. One regulation in particular that New York has in effect relates to marriage between family members. The following paragraphs will briefly highlight this regulation.

Marriage between Specific Family Members Is Not Allowed

New York has put into effect certain rules and regulations regarding familial marital unity. One group of family members who cannot marry one another is those individuals who are ancestors or descendants of one another. This means that anyone in the lineal descendant line such as mother/son, father/daughter, grandfather/granddaughter, etc. cannot legally be married. Furthermore, individuals who are brothers and sisters (whether full or half) and individuals who are aunt/nephew and uncle/niece cannot be married. It is important to note that it does not matter whether or not the relatives are legitimate or illegitimate ones, marriage cannot take place if any of the aforementioned familial relationships exist.

Reasons for These Restrictions

There are two main reasons for these restrictions. The first deals with genetics and procreation. Since marriage frequently leads to children, it is feared that certain genetic disorders can result due to the similar gene lines of the two individuals. Another reason for restricting marriage between family members is due to the social taboo that goes along with it. Any relationship, other than a familial one, amongst family members is a strict "no no" in society and is taboo.

New York officials do a valid job of outlining who can and cannot be married in the state of New York. Although these rules restrict certain individual’s ability to marry, it can be said that there are valid reasons behind each of the restrictions and one can see why they are in effect in the first place.