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 […]
Search Results for "NH-New%20Hampshire/town/belknap/Meredith"
NH Bill to End Child Marriage
On January 22, 2023, the Justice of the Peace Association submitted testimony to New Hampshire’s Children and Family Law Committee in support of HB34. The legislation would change the minimum age to marry in the state to 18 – no exceptions. Read JPus’ testimony. Related Links Information about our advocacy and partnerships for officiants about child and forced marriage. JPus has been on the forefront of legislative activity to end child marriage in other states Follow our state-by-state changes to marriage laws How membership voted to join the Coalition to End Child Marriage Education and training for officiants about child and forced marriage
Website Updates Coming Soon
In order to keep up with current technology and security measures, JPus is launching a new website version of findaJP.com and JPus.org. The primary purpose of this update is to improve the websites’ performance, speed, and security. It will also make it easier for administrators (Loretta and Atlantis) to manage all the different components. For this reason, changes to the general appearance will be minor. Stay tuned for an announcement of an official launch date in the near future. For now, read more about the upcoming updates below. Front-End Updates There will NOT be a full visual redesign of findaJP […]
I Do. Again and Again!
Are you a bride or groom having to choose whether to move forward with your wedding plans? Have you had to postpone and reconfigure? If your answer is Yes, you’re not alone. Two Ceremonies Pandemic or not, couples have been celebrating their love and commitment more than once for a long time! In 1983, I got married in California. That is where I lived at the time. However, most of my family and friends were in New York. Want to know what we did? We married twice! Two ceremonies, one on each coast. Double the fun, double the gifts, double […]
Find JP by State
Justice of the Peace, Notaries, and Wedding Officiants Listing on findaJP.com for: ★ Connecticut ★ Florida ★ Maine ★ Massachusetts ★ New Hampshire ★ Vermont
Members-Only Zoom Happy Hour
This event has ended. Please visit our Event Page for Upcoming Activities. Networking for Officiants Let’s counter Social Distancing with some Social Connections Join us for light conversation, Q&A, and an opportunity to share your thoughts and experiences during this crisis with peers. Friday April 3rd, 2020, 6pm-7pm EST Meeting ID: 302-804-867 Password: 101299 Technical Support Zoom is a video conferencing tool. It allows groups to have live video conversations. If you are new to Zoom, follow these links for help: Zoom Download Zoom Tutorials Zoom Keyboard Shortcuts: Mute/Unmute Mic MAC: ⌘Cmd+Shift+A PC: Alt+A Video on/off MAC; ⌘Cmd+Shift+V PC: Alt+A […]
The Meaning of Your Flower Selection
How do you choose the flowers for your wedding bouquet: color, season, childhood favorite? Did you know that the flowers in your bouquet may be sending a certain message? Flowers have been used to symbolize certain traits, feelings, and meaning throughout time, showing up in such things as plays, mythology, and poems. Learning to speak the language of flowers can add a whole new dimension to your ceremony. How did the tradition of carrying bouquets get started? In the 15th century, wedding bouquets were carried by brides to ward off evil spirits. They were not made of flowers, but instead, […]
Six Degrees of Separation
2020 Spring & Summer Weddings Even with these challenging times, your wedding can still be intimate and memorable. With beautiful green lawns, and flowers exploding with color, spring and summer offer a wonderful wedding backdrop. Things to keep in mind… With many businesses and town halls closed to the public, be sure to check out our tips on navigating marriages during the pandemic. This will help expedite the process. Location, Location, Location If you’re thinking about a spring or summer wedding, one of the best venues can be your own home. It’s easy to control social distancing and other safety necessities. In […]
Ask the Legislators
Questions for Legislators – Tell us what YOU would like to ask! On Saturday, March 13, 2021, the Justice of the Peace Association will hold a virtual conference for marriage officiants. The morning keynote will be a moderated panel discussion with state legislators from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Topics of discussion will include: amateur officiants child marriage virtual ceremonies and more. Including your questions, comments and ideas will make the conversation more meaningful. What questions do YOU want to ask? Please tell us here. Related Links Click Here to Visit the Conference Site & Register Frequently Asked Questions about the conference. […]
NH lay officiant bill fiscally flawed
Ways and Means Committee Hearing JPus continued its opposition New Hampshire’s House Bill 1599, which would permit special marriage officiants. The House Ways and Means Committee will consider testimony on the bill on March 4, 2020. As a result, JPus presented testimony to all members of the Committee. Read more.
Maine raises age to wed
Children must be 16 to marry in Maine Not quite what we were hoping for, but a step in the right direction. The minimum age to marry in Maine is now 16. Prior to this new law going into effect on January 1, 2020, any child, no matter how young, was allowed to marry if their parent and a probate judge approved. Read more about JPus’ work to end child marriage Stay current with other changes to marriage laws
Introducing JPus.Training
Where Marriage Officiants Go to Learn The Justice of the Peace Association is pleased to announce JPus.Training, its new online learning center. Here we will host educational courses for JPs, notaries and other professional marriage officiants. Visitors to JPus.Training can log into the site and sign up for courses of interest. The first training that we’re offering is COVID-19 Best Practices for Marriage Officiants. We developed the training in consultation with OSHA for two purposes: ★ to provide officiants the information needed to safely navigate marriage ceremonies during the pandemic ★ to provide assurance to couples that the professional officiants they […]
JPus Statement Responding to CT SB 396
THE ISSUE 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. The CGA’s Judiciary Committee heard testimony on March 9, 2018 and JPus was there. Our statement to the Judiciary Committee is below. JPus RESPONDS with a STATEMENT TO THE CGA JUDICIARY COMMITTEE Related Links See all of JPus’ efforts to address the problems of amateur officiants All the nitty-gritty details of JPus’ successful effort to block Connecticut’s JP-for-a-Day bill JPus represents membership and Advocates on issues that […]
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