Marriage relationships may also be created by the operation of the law alone, as in common-law marriage, sometimes called marriage by habit and repute.
Unlike the typical ceremonial marriage with legal contract, wedding ceremony, and other details, a common-law marriage may be called marriage by habit and repute (cohabitation).
By the late 1920s, adults had been made more responsible for the care of their children, and common-law marriage had been given equal legal status with civil marriage.