{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/20-28.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/20-28.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/20-28.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/20-28.html"}],"law_id":353640,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353640,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-28","catch_line":"Penalty for celebrating marriage without license","history":"Code 1919, \u00a7 4542.","full_text":"If any person knowingly perform the ceremony of marriage without lawful license, or officiate in celebrating the rites of marriage without being authorized by law to do so, he shall be confined in jail not exceeding one year, and fined not exceeding $500.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1317528,"text":"If any person knowingly perform the ceremony of marriage without lawful license, or officiate in celebrating the rites of marriage without being authorized by law to do so, he shall be confined in jail not exceeding one year, and fined not exceeding $500.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":50625,"edition_id":2,"name":"Marriage Generally","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":50619,"metadata":{"child_laws":29,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:16","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405177,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50625,"identifier":"2","token":"20\/2","url":"\/20\/2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50619,"edition_id":2,"name":"Domestic Relations","identifier":"20","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":56,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":329,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:08","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405077,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50619,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":353545,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-13","catch_line":"License and solemnization required","url":"\/20-13\/","token":"20\/2\/20-13","metadata":false},{"id":353543,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-13.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-13.1\/","token":"20\/2\/20-13.1","metadata":false},{"id":353544,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-13.2","catch_line":"Marriage lawful regardless of sex, gender, or race of parties","url":"\/20-13.2\/","token":"20\/2\/20-13.2","metadata":false},{"id":353548,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-14","catch_line":"By whom license to be issued","url":"\/20-14\/","token":"20\/2\/20-14","metadata":false},{"id":353546,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-14.1","catch_line":"Duration of license; issuance of additional licenses","url":"\/20-14.1\/","token":"20\/2\/20-14.1","metadata":false},{"id":353547,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-14.2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-14.2\/","token":"20\/2\/20-14.2","metadata":false},{"id":353590,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-15","catch_line":"Tax on license","url":"\/20-15\/","token":"20\/2\/20-15","metadata":false},{"id":353602,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-16","catch_line":"Issuance of marriage licenses and marriage certificates","url":"\/20-16\/","token":"20\/2\/20-16","metadata":false},{"id":353601,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-16.1","catch_line":"Clerk authorized to amend marriage records","url":"\/20-16.1\/","token":"20\/2\/20-16.1","metadata":false},{"id":353613,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-17","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/20-17\/","token":"20\/2\/20-17","metadata":false},{"id":353632,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-20","catch_line":"Clerk to file license and certificate; indexing names of parties; certified copies as evidence","url":"\/20-20\/","token":"20\/2\/20-20","metadata":false},{"id":353633,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-21","catch_line":"Clerk to furnish attorney for the Commonwealth list of licenses not returned by minister","url":"\/20-21\/","token":"20\/2\/20-21","metadata":false},{"id":353634,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-22","catch_line":"Attorney for the Commonwealth to ascertain before circuit court name of minister failing to return certificates","url":"\/20-22\/","token":"20\/2\/20-22","metadata":false},{"id":353635,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-23","catch_line":"Order authorizing ministers to perform ceremony","url":"\/20-23\/","token":"20\/2\/20-23","metadata":false},{"id":353636,"structure_id":50625,"section_number":"20-24","catch_line":"Penalty for failure to certify record of marriage","url":"\/20-24\/","token":"20\/2\/20-24","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"United States v. 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Supp. 3d 865","date":"2016-07-19","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7321104\/taylor-v-cardiology-clinic-inc\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. MEMORANDUM OPINION .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, W.D. Virginia"},"6":{"name":"Tiziano M. Scarabelli, M.D. v. Kenneth Ellenbogen, M.D.","case_number":"0421222","citation":null,"date":"2023-05-02","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/9396014\/tiziano-m-scarabelli-md-v-kenneth-ellenbogen-md\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"7":{"name":"Doud v. Com.","case_number":"100285","citation":"717 S.E.2d 124","date":"2011-09-16","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1058000\/doud-v-com\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 717 S.E.2d 124 (2011) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Supreme Court of Virginia\">SCV<\/abbr>"},"8":{"name":"John E. Nestler, M.D. v. Tiziano Scarabelli, M.D.","case_number":"0497222","citation":null,"date":"2023-05-02","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/9396017\/john-e-nestler-md-v-tiziano-scarabelli-md\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"<abbr title=\"Court of Appeals\">COA<\/abbr>"},"9":{"name":"Roop v. Whitt","case_number":"140836","citation":null,"date":"2015-02-26","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2782324\/roop-v-whitt\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. PRESENT: Lemons, C.J., Goodwyn, Millette, Mims, and .\u202f.\u202f. 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