JPus in the News

Press Release: 4/6/2020

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Plan B Marriages April 6, 2020, Fairfield, CT. Despite the fear and uncertainty that comes with the coronavirus pandemic, justices of the peace are supporting loving couples who want – or need - to tie the knot. They are epitomizing what it means to be a professional officiant, providing expertise during the most challenging times. Governor Lamont signed an executive order making marriage license application procedures more flexible. In doing so, he permitted socially distanced nuptials, acknowledging that officiating a marriage can be an essential service. “While our communities are loaded with angst, love is prevailing. JPs are rising to the occasion and getting creative, meeting couples at a social distance, and officiating their marriages. It takes a little resourcefulness, and a lot of flexibility. But it is working.” says Loretta Jay, managing member of the Justice of the Peace Association. “Through our online resources, we emphasize safety, for the ...

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Burlington Free Press: 4/1/2020

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Coronavirus can't cancel love: How Vermonters are adjusting wedding plans due to COVID-19 Maleeha Syed, Burlington Free Press, April 1, 2020 Wedding bells are ringing. Just make sure they're disinfected. Couples are adjusting to the new normal of COVID-19, a disease related to the coronavirus that initially impacted people in China toward the end of last year. Travel restrictions and social distancing to mitigate the virus might have dampened some lovebirds' spirits — the ones who planned lavish ceremonies, ordered mass catering and booked venues months in advance. But others managed workarounds to wed their significant others. Burlington stopped issuing marriage licenses after Gov. Phil Scott issued the stay-home order and suspended non-essential services, according to Amy Bovee, assistant city clerk. Bovee said could be exceptions to the rule for an end-of-life or health insurance issue. "Certainly there's lots of sadness and tears," Loretta Jay with the Justice of the Peace Association said of the changes in light of COVID-19, but sadness isn't all there is underlying the altered ...

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Press Release: 3/27/2020

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Marriage License Rules Loosened in Connecticut March 27, 2020, Fairfield, CT. On Tuesday, when Connecticut's Governor Lamont signed an executive order loosening marriage license application procedures, he acknowledged that sometimes performing a marriage is an essential service. This made socially distanced weddings an official alternative. Sadly, the big reception must be postponed until life returns to normal, but for now at least, the wedding can go on. Thankfully, the state’s justices of the peace (JP) are at the ready to support couples who need an intimate ceremony now. Sometimes health insurance coverage or a military deployment make a marriage urgent. When necessary, having a trained, professional officiant available is critical. Supporting both the officiants and betrothed, the Fairfield-based Justice of the Peace Association (JPus) is providing much-needed guidance. Since the coronavirus pandemic changed everything, JPus developed resources so JPs are prepared. “Our hope is that by providing needed information, we ...

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The Patch MA: 3/13/2020

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But, I’m Getting Married: Tips from the Experts in the age of the Coronavirus Planning a wedding is a big deal. Expensive, and loaded with social implications. Add into the mix a pandemic, and indecision skyrockets. Fear and anxiety are understandable. Thanks to The Atlantic’s Kaitlyn Tiffany, we have some help. She collected responses from experts in the public health field to help guide our practice of social distancing. These were published in an article entitled "The Dos and Don’ts of ‘Social Distancing’", on March 12, 2020. (The date is important, as guidelines change as more information is understood.) Because findaJP’s role in the community is wedding focused, (we help couples find their perfect marriage officiant), we’re sharing the experts’ recommendations on weddings. These guidelines are for healthy people showing no symptoms of illness. Older people should heed the more conservative suggestions. And if one is ill, stay home. We ...

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Stamford Advocate: 3/6/2020

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When the Stamford Advocate ran a story about the Census Bureau's announcement that the marriage rate in Connecticut is the lowest in the country, JPus managing member Loretta Jay supposed a reason for the decline. To the Editor: The recent story, Marriage rates in Connecticut lowest in US (Feb 25, 2020) makes me wonder. Is this a reflection of society’s willingness to treat the legal act of marrying so flippantly? Online officiants became a thing in 2001, after Joey on Friends got ordained to officiate Monica and Chandler’s wedding. Oddly, they became a trend. Even though Joey’s performance was filled with comedic errors. In the real world, when online ministers get involved, it is even less pretty. Showing up drunk, cell phones ringing. They clearly aren’t professionals. But the serious problems reveal themselves when it comes to the legal act of certifying the marriage. What is a couple to do ...

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