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Secret marriage by couple in their 90s may be illegal, says judge

Sept 9 (Reuters) - The secret marriage this year of a 96-year-old Virginia woman and a 95-year-old man has drawn the scrutiny of a judge, who has ruled the marriage may be illegal, a lawyer said on Tuesday.

Sept 9 (Reuters) - The secret marriage this year of a 96-year-old Virginia woman and a 95-year-old man has drawn the scrutiny of a judge, who has ruled the marriage may be illegal, a lawyer said on Tuesday.

Judge James Clark of the Alexandria Circuit Court ruled this month that the marriage between Eddie Harrison and Edith Hill may not be legally binding and ordered Hill's attorney, Jessica Niesen, to investigate it.

The legality of the marriage surfaced during a custodial dispute over who should care for Hill, who was ruled legally incapacitated in 2011.

Hill's granddaughter, Rebecca Wright, and daughter Patricia Barber have been the woman's legal custodians since early this year, Barber's attorney, Cary Cucinello, said.

As part of the custodial dispute, family members have challenged the marriage in court after they discovered the two had wed this year without telling them.

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Part of the dispute is Hill's estate, which includes real estate holdings that total $475,00, according to media reports.

Cucinello said that money was only discussed as a potential way to pay for Hill's care.

"This is not about the money," Cucinello said. "Nobody is going to benefit from her estate in any significant way."

The judge removed Wright and Barber as guardians, and has appointed Niesen in their places. The judge also instructed Niesen to investigate the marriage to protect Hill's best interests.

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