Looking for a Massachusetts wedding officiant? Visit findaJP.com to learn more about Massachusetts wedding laws and to search for a Justice of the Peace. Are you a Massachusetts JP? See the state’s summary of duties for commissioned JPs Learn more about the benefits of a JPus membership. Becoming a JP In Massachusetts, a justice of the peace is appointed by the Governor for a seven year term and confirmed by the Governors Council. Each city/town is allowed one justice for every 5000 residents. In addition to affirming marriages, JPs may take affirmations, oaths, and depositions. Sometimes they may call meetings. Applications […]
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Massachusetts JPs
Looking for a Massachusetts wedding officiant? Visit findaJP.com to learn more about Massachusetts wedding laws and to search for a Justice of the Peace. Becoming a JP In Massachusetts, a justice of the peace is appointed by the Governor for a seven year term and confirmed by the Governors Council. Each city/town is allowed one justice for every 5000 residents. In addition to affirming marriages, JPs may take affirmations, oaths, and depositions. Sometimes they may call meetings. Here is a summary of duties. Applications may be obtained from the Governor’s Council. Non-residents, including JPs from other states, can marry people in […]
Testifying to the Judiciary Committee: March 9, 2018
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 […]
JPs By State
About JPs by State: Connecticut JPs | Florida Notaries | Maine Notaries | Massachusetts JPs | New Hampshire JPs | Vermont JPs A Brief History of JPs Along with their meager possessions, the early English settlers brought to the new world a well-developed set of ideas about laws and justice. And though they sought freedom from an oppressive monarchy, they kept one of the king’s institutions: the Justice of the Peace. In the American colonies, every state had a Justice of the Peace system at one time or another, although specific duties varied from state to state, and still do. Since they […]
Basic Info
Southern Vermont Region
Bennington and Windham Counties comprise beautiful Southern Vermont. Rolling hills and sparkling lakes capture our imagination. Whether along the Harriman Reservoir (aka Lake Whitningham) or at one of the 14 mountains in the area, the area is attractive year round for destination weddings. Deerfield Valley along the Hudson River borders the west, and southern New Hampshire to the east. Nestled in this area are charming quintessential New England towns. Southern Vermont’s lovely venues are perfect for small intimate affairs or large galas where all your friends and family can participate. Unsure what is the right venue for you? Let your JP […]
Survey – Officiant Qualifications & Appointments
Each state has a different process to appoint marriage officiants. We frequently hear about problems in Connecticut. There, justice of the peace appointments are political – even though there is nothing political about the role. The resulting problems are multifold, as evidenced by the many complaints reported to JPus from our members. In response, JPus is working with legislators and the Secretary of the State’s office and interviewing stakeholders. The plan is to formulate the research into a white paper to enact legislative change. A related matter is qualifications – especially when comparing professionals with amateurs officiants. At JPus, we […]
New Britain Herald: 10/25/2008
Justices Welcome Same-Sex Marriages Saturday, October 25, 2008 By: Jennifer Sprague DURHAM – Justices of the peace from throughout the state weighed in on the issue of same-sex marriage Saturday at their annual conference, held at Durham Town Hall. Although town clerks were told by the state’s Department of Public Health that Tuesday is the official release date of the court’s gay-marriage decision, Ben Klein, attorney for the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, said Oct. 10 same-sex couples will not be able to wed until mid-November. Regardless of the effective date, town clerks have not been told when the […]
What’s the Difference Between a Legal Marriage and a Wedding Ceremony?
Updated: Legal Marriage vs. Marriage Ceremony, published November 23, 2020 A bride-to-be posted a great question on Ask a JP because it gets at one of the most commonly confused facets of getting married: the distinction between the legal and the ceremonial. When we think of weddings, we tend to think of the legal and the ceremonial as being intertwined and integral to each other. While this is typically the case, it doesn’t have to be. Here in Connecticut we have very specific laws about who is eligible to marry, who may officiate a marriage, and other technical details associated […]
NH Special Officiants
The Problem In New Hampshire, under ethically questionable circumstances, legislators passed a bill allowing amateur wedding officiants. This happened despite the significant problems with Vermont and Massachusetts’ lay-officiant rules. Beyond belittling professional JPs and creating loopholes that put vulnerable citizens at risk, town clerks in both states complain that temporary officiants have doubled their workload and jeopardized the validity of marriages. Now with the coronavirus, they increase the risk of community spread, too. Legislative Activity 2020 A bill to allow special marriage officiants, HB1599, was introduced for the 2020 legislative session; it died in the House. Under guise of the […]
MA One-Day Solemnizers
The Problem Justice of the Peace Association members have long decried the problem of the lay officiant. In Massachusetts the One-Day Solemnizer causes particular distress. The Governor’s office appoints both One-Dayers and JPs, but treats each differently. This puts professional JPs at a disadvantage. In response to a request from Governor Baker’s office, JPus submitted a white paper that identified four problems with the rule: The state treats lay and professional officiants differently and unfairly, to the detriment of JPs. Municipal town clerks complain that as many as 90% of One-Day Solemnizers made significant legal errors, doubling the amount of […]
One-Day Rule: The Problem
The Problem Justice of the Peace Association members have long decried the problem of the lay officiant. In Massachusetts the One-Day Solemnizer causes particular distress. Problems include: The state treats lay and professional officiants differently and unfairly, to the detriment of JPs. Municipal town clerks complain that as many as 90% of One-Day Solemnizers made significant legal errors, doubling the amount of work they had to do. One-Day Solemnizers compromise the integrity of the marriage license and are “loose with the law”. Couples who use a One-Day Solemnizer may unwittingly jeopardize the validity of their marriage because important paperwork isn’t […]
Zoom – Favorite Traditions
On June 16, 2021, members of the Justice of the Peace Association took advantage of the opportunity to talk with each other and exchange points of view. Discussion Included Some ceremonies that were discussed included the traditional ring ceremony. And candle and wine box ceremonies. Members related enjoying processes that engage the couple. Sand ceremonies were a fav, especially if children are involved since it gives them a way to be included. How much time officiants spend creating a ceremony. (JPus polled members on Facebook in 2019 and 69% spent three or more hours for a simple, in-town wedding.) Incorporating extra […]