Common-law

Common-law relationships are not legal unions in France.

I think the number of common-law marriages is on the rise.

My common-law husband and I have been living in Texas and now want to validate our common-law marriage so that it is legally recognized.

Mary's common-law husband was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

Mary's common-law wife was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

Mary is Tom's common-law wife.

Tom is Mary's common-law husband.

The common-law explanation is rather complex and better left to the professionals.

The court there commented that "the decisions of the common-law courts have been lamentably conflicting" on this point and stated that it did not have room to list the "vast number of inconsistent and almost contradictory cases upon this somewhat confused branch of the law".