Montana is the only country in the nation to allow for double-proxy marriages. If you’re interested in a proxy marriage, we recommend Armed Forces Proxy Marriages. A proxy marriage is one where the bride, the groom, or both the bride and the groom are absent from the ceremony. It’s primarily used by members of the armed forces who are deployed away from home, unable to easily travel, but still want to get married. A bride in Montana can marry a groom in Afghanistan with a proxy marriage.
What people sometimes forget is that a proxy marriage is a completely legal and totally valid marriage, unlike any other marriage. Some people think that because they were married by proxy they can get divorced by proxy. This isn’t the case. A couple married by proxy has to go through the same divorce process as anyone else. And in Montana, that means establishing child support for any minor children of the couple.
A proxy divorce starts just like any other Montana divorce, with a Petition for Dissolution. Assuming that minor children are involved, you’re also going to need a parenting plan and a child support calculation. Some people do the calculation by hand, but more and more often people are doing the same thing lawyers have done for years and turning to an automated solution.
A final note on proxy marriages: just because Montana performed your proxy marriage doesn’t mean that we have jurisdiction over your divorce. The rules for who can hear a divorce are different from who can perform the marriage. It’s best to check with a divorce lawyer to make sure you’re on the right track.
