Priest married them in India in 1995. Nothing was filed with the court or municipal clerk anywhere. Though they have lived as husband and wife since in US and filed tax returns as such and certainly meet common law marriage condition. Neither NJ nor India recognize common law marriage. Recently a divorce scenario came up that prompted this question.
New Jersey would recognize a valid Indian marriage. If your friend has been living together as if married, and filing joint returns, etc. the court would treat them as married and they could get divorced.
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