Legal Definitions - sponsalia per verba de praesenti

Definition: Sponsalia per verba de praesenti is a type of informal marriage that occurred when the parties made an informal agreement to have each other as husband and wife. This type of informal marriage was based on nothing more than the present consent to be married but was entirely valid and would take precedence over a later formal ceremonial marriage that either of the parties attempted to contract with someone else.

Example: John and Jane agreed to be married without a formal ceremony or legal documentation. This agreement was enough to constitute a sponsalia per verba de praesenti, and they were considered married in the eyes of the church.

Explanation: The example illustrates how a sponsalia per verba de praesenti is an informal agreement between two parties to be married. Even without a formal ceremony or legal documentation, the agreement is considered valid and takes precedence over any later formal marriage attempts with other parties.