Teen seeks court's permission to marry!

Atlantis

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1598713.htm

Teen seeks court's permission to marry

A 17-year-old Tasmanian girl has applied to the Magistrates Court for permission to marry her 25-year-old fiance before she turns 18.

Stephanie Anne Grabe, of New Norfolk, has applied on religious grounds, saying she wants to be married before she moves in with her partner, Owen Gillbee.

Miss Grabe and Mr Gillbee are Jehovah's Witnesses.

They have lived together in the past but say they now want to do things according to their religion.

Miss Grabe's parents live in Western Australia, so she's moved in with Mr Gillbee's parents until she can marry.

Miss Grabe can legally marry when she turns 18 in November but the court heard she wishes to speed up the process as the living arrangements have become difficult for her and Mr Gillbee's family.

Magistrate Sam Mollard adjourned the case for hearing in May.

He warned Miss Grabe that based on previous cases, it may be very difficult for her to gain consent.

Outside the court, Mr Gillbee's mother Pam said Miss Grabe's parents have given permission for the marriage.

lola28

That's freaking insane, married at 17???????? Why?

lola

Because to have sex out side of marriage is a sin. When you are 17 you are not thinking to yourself, hmm maybe 5 years from now I will not be the same person but I will be married to this guy and heaven forbid I get divorced because that is another matter. I wonder if she will have to go before the same judge to get her divorce?

Scully

Maybe she's pregnant, and doesn't want to get caught. If she waited until November, she could be a mom by then. By the way, if she's not 18 until November.... and her fiancé is 25... aren't there any statutory rape regulations that could be applied?

sass_my_frass

See the problem here is that she's not just a witness, she's also Tasmanian, and they do things differently there. I am reminded of my friends who used to get the car serviced to drive 50 km for a holiday.

Beck_Melbourne

The poor bugga...I've been down that road...staying with the inlaws until your parents concede to signing the papers so you can marry before you turn 18 - only so you can then be in good standing before the congregation - poor bugga - DON'T DO IT ! ! !

A 17-year-old Tasmanian girl

Hmmm...maybe Frog knows them...

~Beck~

Dawn

By the way, if she's not 18 until November.... and her fiancé is 25... aren't there any statutory rape regulations that could be applied? It depends on the laws of the state, but in my state it isn't considered statutory rape after the age of 16 unless the person had a position of authority over the other (like a counselor or teacher).

Undecided

When I was 25, my wife and I drove to California from NC to attend an assembly. My cousin and his girlfriend who was 17 wanted to get married but her parents wouldn't sign the papers. We let them go with us so they could get married in Las Vagas, Nevada. We thought they could get married there.

They had to change the date on her birth certificate, and we went to some little town out in Nevada where a justice of the peace married them. We lied, even though we were JWs. He was about 15 years older than her. They had to have seperate rooms before that. The morning after they got married it was about noon before we could get them up to continue the trip. He's dead now and she's remarried. One of their daughters posted on this board about a month ago. I think one of their kids is a JW now.

Ken P.

Teen seeks court's permission to marry!

Atlantis