Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 551 / R.S. of 1846
Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 551.3 (2026)

Incapacity; persons man prohibited from marrying.

✓ current as of July 2026
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Revised Statutes of 1846


R.S. of 1846


551.3 Incapacity; persons man prohibited from marrying.

Sec. 3.

    A man shall not marry his mother, sister, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, stepmother, grandfather's wife, son's wife, grandson's wife, wife's mother, wife's grandmother, wife's daughter, wife's granddaughter, brother's daughter, sister's daughter, father's sister, mother's sister, or cousin of the first degree, or another man.

History: R.S. 1846, Ch. 83 ;-- CL 1857, 3206 ;-- CL 1871, 4721 ;-- How. 6211 ;-- CL 1897, 8590 ;-- Am. 1903, Act 257, Eff. Sept. 17, 1903 ;-- CL 1915, 11364 ;-- CL 1929, 12692 ;-- CL 1948, 551.3 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 324, Imd. Eff. June 26, 1996

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1973–2025 · leading case: Nat'l Pride at Work, Inc v. Governor, 748 N.W.2d 524 (Mich. 2008).
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Nat'l Pride at Work, Inc v. Governor, 748 N.W.2d 524 (Mich. 2008). · cites it 8× “MCL 551.3 [11] and MCL 551.4. [12] Although *536 there are, of course, many different types of relationships in Michigan that are accorded legal significance-e.”
People v. Armstrong, 536 N.W.2d 789 (Mich. Ct. App. 1995). · cites it 2× “Defendant also points to the marriage statute, MCL 551.3; MSA 25.3, as support for his argument that the Bliss definition is the proper definition of affinity.”
People v. Redden, 290 Mich. App. 65 (Mich. Ct. App. 2010). “1 (restricting marriage to couples of opposite gender); MCL 551.3 (disqualifying couples who are of specified, close degrees of familial affinity).”
Commonwealth v. Rahim, 805 N.E.2d 13 (Mass. 2004). “Acts 266 , § 3 (repealing criminal incest law); Mich. Comp. Laws § 551.3 (1981) (marriage prohibition); 1989 R.”
Nat'l Pride at Work, Inc v. Governor, 732 N.W.2d 139 (Mich. Ct. App. 2007). “2 (marriage requires the consent of the parties); (3) each requires that the partner not be a blood relation; e/MCL 551.3; MCL 551.4 (listing blood relations that one cannot marry); (4) each requires that the partner not be married to another or have a similar relationship to…”
In Re Toth Est., 212 N.W.2d 812 (Mich. Ct. App. 1973). · cites it 2× “MCLA 551.3; MSA 25.3 and MSA 551.4; MSA 25.”
People of Michigan v. Joel Hosea Harding (Mich. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 2× “10 See MCL 551.3 (prohibiting a man from marrying his own daughter).”
Balodis, 17 I. & N. Dec. 428 (BIA 1980). “428 Interim Decision #2805 The District Director noted that Michigan law precludes marriage between first cousins ( Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 551.3 ). Therefore, the District Director concluded that the petitioner and beneficiary are unable to conclude a valid marriage and the…”
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