Question:
Why does Texas law presume the latest marriage is valid, as shown in Estate of Claveria?
Answer:
Texas law presumes the most recent marriage is valid because people need certainty in family ties and inheritance. In Estate of Claveria v. Claveria, 615 S.W.2d 164 (Tex. 1981), the court said this presumption brings order. Without it, every marriage would be in doubt. The law shifts the burden. If someone claims an earlier marriage still stands, they must prove it. The court favors the marriage it sees now, not ghosts from the past.