End Child Marriage in Massachusetts – Call to Action Last summer’s bill to end child marriage is now in the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee. Follow our step-by-step guide to contact your legislators and let them know why you oppose child marriage. Read more about it here.
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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 […]
1-Day Solemnizer Hearing Scheduled
Hearing on October 1st The Massachusetts Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight scheduled its hearing on the Resolve providing for an investigation and study by special commission relative to the one-day solemnizer rule (Resolve S1831) for Tuesday, October 1, 2019 between 1:00-3:00. This is exciting news! JPus was instrumental in bringing this bill forward: writing a white paper about the rule and working with Senator Julian Cyr, the bill’s sponsor. JPus’ Loretta Jay will join Senator Cyr and testify in support of the bill. Massachusetts JPs are encouraged to contact members of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight and […]
Connecticut Clerk's Conference
Partnering with Town Clerks JPus is looking forward to meeting with Connecticut’s town clerks on Thursday, September 19, 2019 in Westbrook. We’ll have a table at their annual conference, where we’ll share information about our wonderful JPs and findaJP.com. These opportunities for one-on-one conversations nurture our relationships and strengthen our partnerships. Please stop by Water’s Edge if you’re around.
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 […]
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 […]
The Day: 9/25/2005
‘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 […]
Cape Cod and the Islands
Surrounded by water, Cape Cod and the Islands provide the perfect spot for a memorable wedding ceremony. Ideal for a destination wedding, a quiet elopement or something in between. The bayside has calm waters that contrast with the lively ocean marinas and resorts. Leave the mainland, and ferry across to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. Prestigious locales abound. Jack Kerouac was married by a JP in his Hyannis home. Of course, numerous Kennedy weddings happen here, too. The area boasts many high end, luxurious venues. There are lovely and affordable spots, as well. Unsure what is the right place for you? […]
Vermont Membership Rates
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 […]
NH Talking Points 2020
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 […]
MA: Legislation that JPs Care About – 2021-2022
The following bills have been submitted to the Massachusetts General Court SD1181 establishes a commission study to evaluate the One-Day rule (Gobi) SD1517 increases application fees for 1-Dayers by $100 (Gobi) SD1518 broadens JP’s advertising to include in “any public media” (Gobi) SD1412 increases the fees a JP may charge (DiDomenico) HD718 and SD292 would increase the age to marry from 16 to 18 – no exceptions (Rep. Khan & Senator Chandler) Background: One-Day Rule 2021 – 2022 Session: Senator Anne Gobi took the baton from Senator Cyr, and she resubmitted the Resolve providing for an investigation and study by special […]
About Connecticut JPs
Looking for a Connecticut wedding officiant? Visit findaJP.com to learn more about CT wedding laws and to search for a Connecticut Justice of the Peace. Are you a Connecticut JP? Learn more about the benefits of a JPus membership. The Connecticut Justice of the Peace Manual How to become a Justice of the Peace in Connecticut Connecticut JPs are authorized to perform the following functions: Marriages When a secular ceremony is desired, a JP is frequently called upon to be the officiant. The rules for obtaining and filing marriage licenses are: The marriage license must be obtained in the town […]
Oppose Temporary Marriage Officiant in NH
Your Voice Counts! HOW TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY The New Hampshire legislature held public hearings about HB295-FN-A, an Act establishing a special marriage officiant license. JPus created this guide for JPs and town clerks, because the legislators needed to hear from stakeholders to get their perspective of this legislation. All the effort paid off, and the bill died without passing. Written Testimony You may submit written testimony by email to your own legislators so they are aware of your position. If you don’t know who your Senator is, click here. Please also send a copy of your testimony to JPus at [email protected] so we can submit it to […]