This format really is messing with me .. I keep posting and it keeps telling me I'm spam .. LOL.
Talk to an atty it is going to depend on if your state recognizes common law marriages and what constitutes marriage in terms of did you refer to each other as husband and wife. Sometimes it is enough to be implied .. it again depends on the state and it varies.
The other thing I'm curious about .. did you contribute financially to her business. Time, energy, were you taking care of kids while she was out earning a living. How long were you even together .. 2 years of marriage doesn't mean you get 1/2 of anything if the business was already in process. There would be no alimony either. If you did you may be able to get your money back .. however if she funded it on her own and if the state doesn't recognize common law then you may be out of luck .. I'm not an atty .. so I don't know your situation .. I would look into it for your own peace of mind.
I remember the case that was very public of William Hurt and his common law wife .. I can't remember how that turned out .. I DO remember the state they were in DID recognize common law and it was implied that they were married.
Good luck and I'd be curious to know what you find out.
Yes,Common Law here is recognized as being Married! New Law Passed,We've been living together for 9 yrs now.2yrs ago the wife started a Company it does very well! For tax reasons she has a Numbered bank account she draws from for wages,Now if we split a'm i entitled to that money in that account and a portion of the business?
Take this up with an atty because your state laws are going to play into this .. 10 years is the magic marker for alimony. I don't know about business, .. it depends on how it's registered, incorporated and so on .. things can get complicated in that regard. I would definitely talk to an atty and find out what your options are .. recognize it could cost a lot so you need to weigh what you are spending on an atty against what you will gain. I doubt she's going to willingly hand over whatever percentage of a business she built.