Author: Tahirih Justice Center

Original Publication: July 2013

Updated: September 2022

This document provides an overview of state criminal codes that address forced marriage in the United States, including those of California, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as Washington DC and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also provides information on Massachusetts, Michigan, and Minnesota’s laws addressing abduction for the purpose of marriage.