‘Party 1’ And ‘Party 2’ Soon Will Get To Say ‘I Do’ Published September 25. 2005 12:01AM | Updated December 17. 2009 3:35PM By Karin Crompton, Development/Transportation/Demographics Reporter The scene: two men stand before a justice of the peace or a minister. It is a civil-union ceremony, and they have said their “I do’s” and exchanged rings. The officiant turns to the couple. “I now pronounce you …” Pronounce you what? Language, or terminology, is but one of the details facing JPs, town clerks and couples themselves as Oct. 1 draws near. Saturday marks the day when a new state law allowing […]
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How to Get a Marriage License During COVID-19?
Updated May 7, 2021 How to Get a Marriage License? The national, state and local response to COVID-19 is drastic. The message: stay home. If there was any doubt at the seriousness of the direction, it was made abundantly clear when municipal offices started shuttering. Because marriage licenses are issued at Town Clerk’s offices, and many of them are closed to the public, this poses new challenges for couples. FindaJP and the Justice of the Peace Association are working with state officials to provide information to couples looking to secure a marriage license. Below is the most current direction we’ve […]
Our Story
The Justice of the Peace Association was founded by Saul Haffner and Barbara Jay in 2001. It was the dawn of the Internet age. As a newly appointed Connecticut JP, Saul, a longtime marketer, saw the potential of the World Wide Web to connect couples and officiants in a personalized fashion. His wife, Barbara, was, conveniently, a Website developer. The Association started first in Connecticut and eventually expanded to other states where JPs and notaries perform marriages. Saul loved the connections he made with couples and his fellow wedding officiants. He was an early advocate of marriage equality and led […]
Partnerships
We form strategic partnerships with individuals, groups and organizations that share our goal of supporting marriage officiants with the performance of their duties. Doing so allows us to broaden our strength and influence, and be a more effective leader and representative for our members. Public Agencies Secretary of State’s offices & Town Clerks The Secretary of State‘s offices and town clerks are important stakeholders to us, and our natural partners. Their role complements that of officiants in marriage’s legal process. Working together benefits all parties, because it improves communication. Connecting couples with our members is our core service. So, we are […]
Holiday Networking in MA
Make new connections and nurture opportunities! Mix and mingle with your fellow JPs and town clerks. We hope to see you at our Holiday Networking Event **UPDATE: Event at Bertucci’s in Waltham, MA has been rescheduled. Stay-tuned for new date.** Getting together with our colleagues creates new opportunities and connections – and it’s fun! JPs, town clerks and other stakeholders are all invited to attend. This will be a terrific opportunity to meet and connect with our fellow officiants, municipal and state leaders on a social level. Let’s build upon our shared interests and find new ones. Getting to know some of […]
Engaging MA Legislators: Oct. 1, 2019
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight On October 1, 2019, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight held a hearing on the Resolve to evaluate the One Day Solemnizer rule. This hearing was in response to JPus’ members concerns, conveyed through JPus’ January 2019 white paper. Senator Julian Cyr sponsored a Resolve to create a commission study on the One-Day Solemnizer rule. JPus and the Town Clerk Association would be members of the Commission. To be successful, JPs and town clerks will need to engage legislators. Call Committee Chairs and let them know you support the […]
Oppose JP for a Day
Your voice counts! THE ISSUE In March 2018 a new Bill was raised in Connecticut, An Act Concerning Justices of the Peace Who May Serve as Marriage Officiants (SB 396), which would allow anyone to be a JP for a Day in the state. Connecticut legislators need to hear from their constituents WHAT JPus IS DOING The Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on Friday, March 9, 2018 where JPus presented testimony opposing the legislation. We are also working with state Senators and Representatives, and talking with the Secretary of State’s Office, advocating to have the bill killed in committee. HOW TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY You may submit […]
MA: 2019 Legislation
This page is not being updated. The following bills were submitted to the Massachusetts General Court in 2019: S 1831 establishes a commission study to evaluate the One-Day rule (Cyr) SD 941 increases application fees for 1-Dayers (Gobi) SD 943 broadens JP’s advertising to include in “any public media” (Gobi) S1833 increases the fees that JPs may charge to $120 in-town, and $180 for out-of-town ceremonies (DiDomenico). See JPus’ statement of support. Background: One-Day Rule: Senator Cyr’s bill, S 1831, is in response to JPus’ white paper outlining the problems with the One-Day rule. The bill would develop a committee to […]
Changes to the Laws
Don’t be caught behind the times. Stay current on new laws that affect JPs and notaries. Connecticut Gender Neutral Terms on Marriage License Effective July 1, 2021, the terms Bride and Groom are no longer on Connecticut marriage licenses, replaced with Spouse 1 and Spouse 2. Read how JPus took action to make this validating change happen. Race Information Not Collected The marriage license application will no longer seek a couple’s race, effective July 1, 2021. Probate Judge Required for 16, 17 Year Olds to Marry Effective October 1, 2017, in addition to parental consent, anyone under the age of […]
2019 MA Legislation
Four bills are pending before the Massachusetts General Court of the Commonwealth that are important to JPs. If you want changes to the One-Day rule, or would like an increase in the fees you may charge to couples, your state Representatives and Senators need to hear from you! SD2216: establishes a commission study to evaluate the One-Day rule SD 941 increases application fees for 1-Dayers (Gobi) SD 943 broadens JP’s advertising to include in “any public media” (Gobi) SD 659 increases the fees that JPs may charge to $120 in-town, and $180 for out-of-town ceremonies (DiDomenico). Read more about these […]
CT Chain-In to End Child Marriage
The bill to end child marriage is stalled in the CT Senate. The House already passed it, and the Governor promised to sign it. If they don’t act by Wednesday, the bill will die. Connecticut could end child marriage right now — but HB6569, the bill that would ban it in the state, is stalling in the Senate and may not be called for a floor vote. We need to take immediate action to urge the Senate President, Senator Martin Looney, to schedule the bill for a vote. Following are two action items: Please follow this link for an email campaign targeted at […]
Southern Coast, Maine
As the name suggests, the southern coast of Maine is located just over the New Hampshire border. The first town encountered when crossing the Memorial Bridge is Kittery, established in 1647 and the oldest town in the state. Along the bucolic shoreline are beaches and then more beaches. Taken together with the art galleries and antique shops, there are countless nooks for an elopement. Not to mention the scenic shoreline with marinas and private clubs for a larger wedding affair. Unsure what is the right place for you? Let your notary know what you are looking for, and he or […]
MA Bill Improves Compensation – 2019
Regulating Fees During the spring 2019 legislative session, Massachusetts Senator Sal DiDomenico submitted a bill, S1833, to increase the fees that justices of the peace are allowed to charge to officiate a wedding – from $100 to $120 for in-town ceremonies, and $150 to $180 for out-of-town. As far as we know, the Commonwealth is the only state that restricts fees this way. Related Links JPus’ white paper about 1-Day solemnizers speaks to the implications of regulating JP’s fees S 1831 establishes a commission study to evaluate the One-Day rule Other JPus advocacy JPus Statement of Support JPus is not in […]
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