JONES v HALLAHAN

Facts: This is an appeal from a judgment of the Jefferson Circuit Court which held that female persons were not entitled to be issued a marriage license to marry. These 2 women were denied issuance of a marriage license by the County Court clerk of Jefferson. They now contend that this deprived them of 3 basic constitutional rights: (1) right to marry; (2) right of association; (3) right to free exercise of religion.

Issue: Whether or not the 2 women can marry each other since the Kentucky law does explicitly mention marriage to be between a man and a woman.

Held: Looking at dictionaries, the common meaning of marriage is a union between a man and a woman. Besides, what’s preventing them to marry is not the failure to be issued a marriage license, but rather their own incapability of entering into a marriage. Even if they did marry through false representation that they’re of the opposite sex, the marriage will be null and void. In the court’s opinion, there is not constitutional issue involved, since there is no constitutional sanction which protects the right of marriage between persons of the same sex.

B u c c a t v . M a n g o n o n d e B u c c a t , 7 2 P h i l 1 9 ( 1 9 4 1 ) [ N o . 4 7 1 0 1 A p r i l 2 5 , 1 9 4 1 ]G O D O F R E D O B U C C A T , p l a i n t i f f - a p p e l l a n t , v . L U I D A M A N G O N O N D E B U C C A T , d e f e n d a n t - a p p e l l e e M a r r i a g e ;

V a l i d i t y – M a r r i a g e i s a m o s t s a c r e d i n s t i t u t i o n . I t i s t h e f o u n d a t i o n u p o n w h i c h s o c i e t y r e s t s . T o n u l l i f y i t w o u l d n e e d c l e a r a n d a u t h e n t i c p r o o f . I n t h i s c a s e n o s u c h p r o o f e x i s t s .

A p p e a l f r o m a d e c i s i o n o f t h e C o u r t o f F i r s t I n s t a n c e o f B a g u i o . C a r l o s , J . F e l i c i a n o L e v i s t e , T o m á s P . P a ñ g a n i b a n a n d S o t e r a , N . M e g i a f o r a p p e l l a n t s L u i d a M a n g o n o n d e B u c c a t o n h e r o w n b e h a l f .

T h e f a c t s a r e s t a t e d i n t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e c o u r t . H o r r i l l e n o , J . :

T h i s c a s e h a s b e e n e l e v a t e d t o t h i s c o u r t f r o m t h e C o u r t o f F i r s t I n s t a n c e o f B a g u i o , s i n c e i t o n l y r a i s e s a q u e s t i o n p u r e l y o f l a w .

O n M a r c h 2 0 , 1 9 3 9 t h e p l a i n t i f f i n i t i a t e d t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , i n w h i c h t h e d e f e n d a n t d i d n o t a p p e a r , d e s p i t e b e i n g d u l y s u m m o n e d . O n a c c o u n t o f t h i s , p l a i n t i f f w a s p e r m i t t e d t o p r e s e n t h i s p r o o f , a n d t h e l o w e r c o u r t d e c i d e d i n f a v o r o f t h e d e f e n d a n t . T h u s t h i s a p p e a l .

T h e p l a i n t i f f p r a y s f o r t h e a n n u l m e n t o f H i s m a r r i a g e t o L u i d a M a n g o n o n d e B u c c a t o n N o v e m b e r 2 6 , 1 9 3 8 i n t h e C i t y o f B a g u i o , o n t h e g r o u n d s t h a t w h e n a g r e e i n g t o t h e m a r r i a g e p r o m i s e , h e d i d s o b e c a u s e t h e d e f e n d a n t a s s u r e d h i m t h a t s h e w a s a v i r g i n . F r o m t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e l o w e r c o u r t , t h e f o l l o w i n g f a c t s a r e g i v e n : T h e p l a i n t i f f m e t t h e d e f e n d a n t i n M a r c h 1 9 3 8 . A f t e r s e v e r a l m e e t i n g s , t h e y b e c a m e e n g a g e d i n S e p t e m b e r 1 9 o f t h e s a m e y e a r . I n N o v e m b e r 2 6 , t h e p l a i n t i f f m a r r i e d t h e d e f e n d a n t i n t h e C a t h o l i c c a t h e d r a l o f B a g u i o C i t y . A f t e r l i v i n g t o g e t h e r f o r e i g h t y -n i n e d a y s , t h e d e f e n d a n t g a v e b i r t h t o a s o n ( o f n i n e m o n t h s ) i n F e b r u a r y 2 3 , 1 9 3 9 . A s a r e s u l t o f t h i s e v e n t , t h e p l a i n t i f f l e f t t h e d e f e n d a n t a n d n e v e r r e t u r n e d t o m a r r i e d l i f e w i t h h e r . W e s e e n o r e a s o n t o r e v o k e t h e a p p e a l e d s e n t e n c e . I n e f f e c t , i t i s u n l i k e l y t h a t t h e a l l e g a t i o n o f t h e p l a i n t i f f - a p p e l l a n t t h a t h e d i d n o t e v e n s u s p e c t t h e s e r i o u s s i t u a t i o n o f t h e d e f e n d a n t , b e i n g a s i t i s p r o v e n , a n a d v a n c e d p r e g n a n t c o n d i t i o n . O n a c c o u n t o f t h i s , t h e r e i s n o r e a s o n t o c o n s i d e r t h e f r a u d o f w h i c h t h e p l a i n t i f f - a p p e l l a n t s p e a k s . T h e a l l e g a t i o n t h a t i t i s n o t r a r e t o f i n d p e r s o n s w i t h d e v e l o p e d a b d o m e n s , s e e m s t o u s c h i l d i s h t o d e s e r v e o u r c o n s i d e r a t i o n , a l l t h e m o r e t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f i s a f i r s t - y e a r s t u d e n t o f l a w . M a r r i a g e i s a m o s t s a c r e d i n s t i t u t i o n . I t i s t h e f o u n d a t i o n u p o n w h i c h s o c i e t y r e s t s . T o n u l l i f y i t w o u l d n e e d c l e a r a n d a u t h e n t i c p r o o f . I n t h i s c a s e n o s u c h p r o o f e x i s t s . F i n d i n g t h e a p p e a l e d s e n t e n c e r e c o n c i l e d t o l a w , i t m u s t b e a f f i r m e d , a n d w e h e r e b y a f f i r m i t i n t o t o . C o s t s t o p l a i n t i f f - a p p e l l a n t . S o o r d e r e d . A v a n c e ñ a , C . J . , I m p e r i a l , D í a z , a n d L a u r e l , J J . , c o n c u r . D e c i s i o n a f f i r m e d .

F a c t s :

G o d o f r e d o B u c c a t a n d L u i d a M a n g o n o n d e B u c c a t m e t i n M a r c h 1 9 3 8 , b e c a m e e n g a g e d i n S e p t e m b e r , a n d g o t m a r r i e d i n N o v 2 6 . O n F e b 2 3 , 1 9 3 9 ( 8 9 d a y s a f t e r g e t t i n g m a r r i e d ) L u i d a , w h o w a s 9 m o n t h s p r e g n a n t , g a v e b i r t h t o a s o n . G o d o f r e d o l e f t L u i d a a n d o n M a r c h 2 3 , 1 9 3 9 , h e f i l e d f o r a n a n n u l m e n t o f t h e i r m a r r i a g e o n t h e g r o u n d s t h a t w h e n h e a g r e e d t o m a r r i e d L u i d a , s h e a s s u r e d h i m t h a t s h e w a s a v i r g i n . T h e L o w e r c o u r t d e c i d e d i n f a v o r o f L u i d a .

I s s u e :W O N L u i d a ’ s c o n c e a l m e n t o f h e r p r e g n a n c y c o n s t i t u t e d a g r o u n d f o r t h e a n n u l m e n t o f m a r r i a g e ( f r a u d )

H e l d : N o . C l e a r a n d a u t h e n t i c p r o o f i s n e e d e d i n o r d e r t o n u l l i f y a m a r r i a g e , a s a c r e d i n s t i t u t i o n i n w h i c h t h e S t a t e i s i n t e r e s t e d . I n t h i s c a s e , t h e c o u r t d i d n o t f i n d a n y p r o o f t h a t t h e r e w a s c o n c e a l m e n t o f p r e g n a n c y c o n s t i t u t i n g a g r o u n d f o r a n n u l m e n t ; i t w a s u n l i k e l y t h a t G o d o f r e d o , a f i r s t - y e a r l a w s t u d e n t , d i d n o t s u s p e c t a n y t h i n g a b o u t L u i d a ’ s c o n d i t i o n c o n s i d e r i n g t h a t s h e w a s i n a n a d v a n c e d s t a g e o f p r e g n a n c y w h e n t h e y g o t m a r r i e d .

D e c i s i o n : S C a f f i r m e d t h e l o w e r c o u r t ’ s d e c i s i o n .

NAVARRO VS. DOMAGTOY 259 SCRA 129

FACTS: Navarro is the Municipal Mayor of Dapa, Surigao del Norte. He has submitted evidence in relation to two specific acts committed by Municipal Circuit Trial Court Judge Hernando Domagtoy, which, he contends, exhibits gross misconduct as well as inefficiency in office and ignorance of the law. First, on September 27, 1994, respondent judge solemnized the wedding between Gaspar Tagadan and Arlyn Borga, despite the knowledge that the groom is merely separated from his first wife. Domagtoy claimed that he merely relied on an affidavit acknowledged before him attesting that Tagadan’s wife has been absent for seven years. The said affidavit was alleged to have been sworn to before another judge. Second, it is alleged that he performed a marriage ceremony between Floriano Dador Sumaylo and Gemma G. del Rosario outside his court’s jurisdiction on October 27, 1994. Domagtoy counters that he solemnized the marriage outside of his jurisdiction upon the request of the parties.

ISSUE: Whether or not Domagtoy acted without jurisdiction.

HELD: Domagtoy’s defense is not tenable and he did display gross ignorance of the law. Tagadan did not institute a summary proceeding for the declaration of his first wife’s presumptive death. Absent this judicial declaration, he remains married to Ihis former wife. Whether wittingly or unwittingly, it was manifest error on the part of Domagtoy to have accepted the joint affidavit submitted by the groom. Such neglect or ignorance of the law has resulted in a bigamous, and therefore void, marriage. On the second issue, the request to hold the wedding outside Domagtoy’s jurisdiction was only done by one party, the bride NOT by both parties. More importantly, the elementary principle underlying this provision is the authority of the solemnizing judge. Under Article 3, one of the formal requisites of marriage is the “authority of the solemnizing officer.” Under Article 7, marriage may be solemnized by, among others, “any incumbent member of the judiciary within the court’s jurisdiction.” Article 8, which is a directory provision, refers only to the venue of the marriage ceremony and does not alter or qualify the authority of the solemnizing officer as provided in the preceding provision. Non-compliance herewith will not invalidate the marriage.

CASE DIGEST ON ARAÑES VS. OCCIANO (Judges Solmenizing Marriage)

Mercedita Arañes filed charges against Judge Salvador Occiano of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Batalan, Camarines Sur with Gross Ignorance of Law. Occiano solemnized Arañes’ marriage without the requisite marriage license in latter’s house which is outside judge’s jurisdiction. Arañes was not able to claim her right to inherit his deceased husband’s property and she was deprived of receiving her husband’s pension. Occiano avers that the ceremony took place in Arañes’ house because the groom had a difficulty walking & he couldn’t stand traveling. Judge was aware that there was no marriage license but due to the pleas of the couple and everything was prepared already and the visitors were there, he agreed to solemnize the marriage. He reminded them that marriage won’t be valid without the license. They promised to give it within the day but they never did. Arañes desisted but Court still decided the case.

ISSUE: Whether or not the marriage is valid?

HELD: No. Judge fined P5,000.00.

RATIO:1. Judges can only solemnize marriage within their territorial jurisdiction.2. Marriage license is a requisite for marriage and without it, marriage is void. It is the marriage license that gives the solemnizing officer the authority to solemnize a marriage. And since there was no license, Occiano didn’t have the authority to officiate the ceremony.