Ethics Alarms has often cited the dry desiccated toe in the plug of tobacco that is the essence of “res ipsa loquitur,” or “the thing speaks for itself”: “Someone has been very careless.”
This leads me to the bizarre experience of a Texas man, whose name so far has been withheld, presumably because he feels like an idiot. He says he was married to his ex-fiancée without his knowledge. The 42-year-old victim was in a committed relationship with 36-year-old Kristin Marie Spearman. They were about to get a Wayne County marriage license but got into a heated argument that culminated in his breaking off their romance. His ex-fiancée was not one to give up without a fight, however.
Her ex- received a gift bag from Bath & Body Works containing some products along with a copy of an officiated marriage license with his and Spearman’s names on it and a photo of his ex-fiancee holding up the document legally declaring them to be husband and wife. Kristin had managed to get a local pastor to certify the marriage even though the groom wasn’t in attendance. She then took the certified marriage license to her local county clerk’s office and filed it with officials. As far as the records go, it’s a legal marriage.
Spearman has been arrested and charged with third-degree felony stalking. The pastor, meanwhile, has a lot of explaining to do.
Ethics Alarms 
Having married people, I was surprised by this. Normally, you need witnesses to sign the license as proof. Apparently, Texas doesn’t require that.
“The pastor, meanwhile, has a lot of explaining to do.”
And how! My church has a long list of rules for marrying people, including who they will not marry, such as intoxicated people, underage people, people under duress. I’m pretty sure performing a marriage in absentia would be off-limits, too
Divorce only requires consent of one party, so no foul?
I think even a Catholic priest would agree to an annulment of this one after about seven nanoseconds of prayer and deliberation.
–Dwayne
Caption on this year’s wedding anniversary card from Mrs. OB: “Marriage requires commitment. So does insanity.” I think this woman has both pretty well covered.
Sounds like the plot of a Coen Brothers’ movie.
WOW!