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 […]

All of the New England states that JPus is active in use gender-neutral terms on marriage licenses. However, this wasn’t always the case. The History We were pleased to learn that in 2019 Maine started using gender-neutral terms when referring to marriage or familial relationships. This prompted JPus to conduct a quick survey of the other states that we serve, asking what terminology was used. Vermont and New Hampshire allow couples to check a box indicating bride/groom/spouse, and only the term checked is on the license. Massachusetts uses gender neutral terms: Party A and Party B. At the time, Connecticut’s […]

The 2021 JPus conference for professional marriage officiants was a hit! We celebrated the 20th anniversary of JPus with our first virtual conference. Conferences provide opportunities for professional civil officiants to learn new skills, hear important news that affects their practice, network and refine their craft. Keynote speakers include Secretary of the State, Registrars, Attorney Generals and other state leaders. Topics range from setting fees to securing insurance; crafting custom vows to changing laws. In addition to the main speakers, breakout workshops and vendor booths round off the event. Some of our Past Keynote Speakers & Workshop Presenters Richard Blumenthal, Attorney […]

Find the right fit for your listing on findaJP.com. This guide will help! We’ll help you choose from one town, one region, or multiple regions. Even the entire state of Vermont! Use the guide below or mix and match towns and regions according to how much exposure you want on findaJP.com. The higher-level plans include more towns, photos, and testimonials. When purchasing a Vermont membership at JPus.org, please use coupon code VERMONT to receive a 50% discount at checkout. Prices below reflect reduced rate. Please note, the number of towns listed by name in each state are limited. For this […]

Your Voice Counts! HB1599, an Act establishing a special marriage officiant license, continues to make its way through the NH General Court. JPus created these talking points for JPs and town clerks to help guide conversations. It will take one-on-one conversations and emails to defeat this bill. Invite your friends and family members to get involved, and ask them to contact their legislators, too. Contact Your Senator If you don’t know who your Senator is, click here. We recommend personal connections with senators. This will help them hear how implementation of this bill will hurt New Hampshirites. Our goal is to help the […]

Online Officiants Online officiants are individuals who secure permission to solemnize marriages through the auspices of a religious organization, most often the Universal Life Church (ULC). Typically, they are lay people who fill out a form online so they can marry their friend or family member. Some use the authorization to circumvent JP rules which limit the number of civil officiants per town. There are no regulations or oversight to ensure compliance with state laws. Oftentimes the ULC ministers treat the legal act of marrying couples as frivolously as the ULC distributes certifications, invalidating marriages. Massachusetts’ One-Day Solemnizers The biggest […]

Your voice counts! THE ISSUE A new Bill has been 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. The Judiciary Committee needs to hear what you think about this proposed legislation.   WHERE TO TESTIFY The Judiciary Committee’s public hearing is on Friday, March 9, 2018 at 11:00 AM in Room 2E of the Legislative Office Building (LOB). The first hour of the hearing is usually reserved for Legislators, Constitutional Officers, State Agency Heads and Chief Elected Municipal Officials. The Public will likely begin testifying around 12:00 […]

In the spring of 2019, the Justice of the Peace Association persisted in its opposition to the New Hampshire House Bill 295-FN-A, an act establishing a special marriage officiant license. Despite the odds, the bill eventually died in conference. Following is what transpired. It was early January 2019 when New Hampshire Justice of the Peace Cynthia Dumont called JPus to alert us to HB 295-FN-A. This bill, if passed, would temporarily authorize an individual to solemnize a marriage in the state. JPus members in Massachusetts and Vermont made us aware of how amateur officiants have negatively impacted their business. The town clerks […]