text🌻seeking legal advice

[multidisciplinary]

Type: Text (backdated to before Farplane event)
Sender ID: Anonymous
To: Public
Subject: Seeking legal advice
Warnings: None

--

Hello.

I am in need of legal advice regarding a private matter:

Is a marriage contract legally binding if one or more parties involved were under the influence of spiritual possession while it was officiated?

Thank you for your assistance.

Comments

{Text; UN: crescentmoon}

[prince_of_the_moon]

Why would it be binding if you were not yourself?

text; Anonymous

[multidisciplinary]

Because the legal definition is a bit complex. A marriage binds two people body and spirit, which under normal circumstances is not an issue. But in this instance, it was my body and another's spirit. Is my body bound in wedlock even though it was the spirit who spoke the vows? That is what I seek to determine, and thus far most of the answers given to me have been [ honestly kinda terrible ] less than definitive.

{Text}

[prince_of_the_moon]

A body controlled by another spirit does not constitute a willing vessel. As you said, body and spirit. They must be joined on the matter for the contract to be binding. Yours is not.

[multidisciplinary]

Not exactly. I gave my consent for her to borrow my body temporarily for the sake of wedding her betrothed. And she held true to her side of our agreement; once the wedding was complete, she left my body.

Others have suggested that being possessed would be likened to being inebriated and thus render the contract void. But I was in full possession of my faculties.

[prince_of_the_moon]

I would say it is worse than being inebriated. She said the vows; you did not. She wed herself to her mate; you did not. You were merely her audience.

[multidisciplinary]

Worse? But why? I was at least cognizant of what was going on around me.

[ Zelda figures he probably means this to be reassuring, but his tone comes across as so severe that she almost feels like she's being lectured for being reckless. (Something that has happened to her numerous times and is usually deserved.) ]

[prince_of_the_moon]

Cognizant and yet unable to speak or move as yourself. An inebriated mind cannot always recall one's actions.

[multidisciplinary]

I could have moved or spoke if I wanted to! She was not preventing me from retaking control of myself! But I did not feel the need to, because I trusted her.

[prince_of_the_moon]

Regardless she was making the decisions. She was the one who said the vows.

Do not shoulder the actions of others no matter how close they might be to you.