Marriage Qualifications.—A man cannot marry before the conclusion of his eighteenth year; a woman, before the conclusion of her sixteenth year. A minor cannot conclude a marriage without the consent of his or her legal representative.
Impediments.—1. Marriage is forbidden between ascendants and descendants.
2. Between brother and sister.
3. Between brother or sister and offspring of brother or sister.
4. Marriage between a person who has been previously married and a blood relative in direct line of that person’s former consort is forbidden.
5. First cousins may not conclude marriage, except on dispensation from the Minister of Justice.
6. No person may conclude a marriage with any one who has been legally sentenced for a murder or a murderous assault committed on the former’s consort, even if the sentence has not yet entered into effect.
7. No one may conclude a marriage without the consent of his ecclesiastical superiors if he has taken ecclesiastical orders or vows which, according to the law of the church to which he belongs, prevent his marrying.
8. So long as the guardianship continues, marriage is prohibited between a guardian or his offspring and the ward.
Preliminaries.—Before a marriage can be lawfully celebrated it must be preceded by the publication of banns. This publication must be made in the commune or communes where the parties ordinarily reside. Publication is made by posting an official notice for fourteen days in the office of the registrar and in a public place in the communal building.