Getting married: the origins of the current law and problems

Professor Rebecca Probert delivered a talk on 'Getting married: the origins of the current law and problems' at the Ecclesiastical Law Society's one-day conference on 'The Solemnization of Matrimony: past, present and Future'. Through tracing the history of the Marriage Act 1836, which established the structure of the modern law, she showed how even when it was enacted it was not seen as a satisfactory solution and that in some respects the law has become even less flexible over time. With the Marriage Act 1949 merely consolidating existing complexities, the current law is uncertain, inconsistent, and in need of reform.

Rebecca’s new book on the evolution of marriage law from the 1836 Act to the present day is due to be published by Cambridge University Press in October 2021.