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 […]
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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.
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 […]
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
Mobilize NH: HB1599
Your voice is needed! New Hampshire’s Special Marriage Officiant bill, HB1599, is expected to come before the House of Representatives for a vote tomorrow. And then it will go to the Senate. That’s where we come in. We’ll need all NH JPs to get involved if we want to defeat this legislation. We have a Zoom call scheduled for Monday to answer your questions, and talking points to help you focus your message. Read more about our strategy and get the details.
Support to End Child Marriage – NH
18 to Wed – No exceptions The Justice of the Peace Association submitted written testimony in support of HB 1516. The bill would end all marriages in the state of New Hampshire for anyone younger than 18. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, 2020 at 1:30. See JPus’ statement and read more about our work to end child marriage.
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 […]
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, […]
Find JP by State
Justice of the Peace, Notaries, and Wedding Officiants Listing on findaJP.com for: ★ Connecticut ★ Florida ★ Maine ★ Massachusetts ★ New Hampshire ★ Vermont
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 […]
Last chance to Stop Special Officiants in NH
Full Senate Votes Forty-three New Hampshire JPs and JPus members endorsed JPus’ written testimony, submitted to the state Senate before its final hearing on the special marriage officiant bill. This is the last opportunity to block HB295. The full senate votes on the bill May 30th. Details are available here.
NH JPs sign onto JPus Testimony
Today 29 New Hampshire justices of the peace endorsed the Justice of the Peace Association’s statement opposing HB 295. The bill would establish a special marriage officiant license, allowing temporary officiants. JPus’ Loretta Jay submitted the statement and testified before the state’s House Ways and Means Committee, Read more here.