In Mississippi, it is illegal to marry your first cousin. The state law explicitly prohibits and voids marriages between first cousins. This prohibition extends to both opposite-sex and same-sex first cousin marriages.
Legal Restrictions
Mississippi’s laws on cousin marriage are quite strict:
- First cousins are not allowed to marry, have sexual relations, or cohabitate.
- The law considers such marriages to be incestuous and void.
- This prohibition applies even if the marriage was legally performed in another jurisdiction.
Exceptions and Allowances
While first cousin marriages are strictly forbidden, Mississippi law does allow some exceptions:
- First cousins once-removed (the child of your first cousin) are allowed to marry.
- Cousins through adoption are permitted to marry.
Comparison to Other States
Mississippi’s stance on cousin marriage is relatively strict compared to some other states:
- 18 states allow first cousin marriages without restrictions.
- Some states, like Maine, allow first cousin marriages with genetic counseling.
- A few states permit first cousin marriages only if the couple is beyond childbearing age or if one party is infertile.
It’s worth noting that laws regarding cousin marriage vary significantly across the United States, with some states being more permissive and others, like Mississippi, maintaining strict prohibitions.
Sources
- https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-93/chapter-1/section-93-1-1/
- https://www.ulc.org/wedding-laws/mississippi
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States
- https://www.insideedition.com/gallery/kissing-cousins-states-where-marrying-your-relative-legal-48234
- https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/legally-weird/marriage-american-style-strange-laws-and-oddities/
